A CARE provider must take immediate action after it was again found to be failing to meet standards for quality and safety at four homes.
Carmand has been told by the Care Quality Commission that Amber House in Grimsby Road, Humberston, and Topaz House and Jade House, in Grimsby Road, Cleethorpes, all failed to provide adequate levels of staff training – and has been given 14 days to respond with an action plan.
The inspections, in June, were carried out following the previous damning report, to see whether required improvements had been put in place.
At Topaz House, staff were "unsure of what their responsibilities were in relation to safeguarding residents from the risk of harm" while, at Jade House, the provider was failing in eight out of nine areas assessed. At Amber House, shortfalls were found in nine out of ten standards set.
Carmand said it was "disappointed to have fallen below its earlier evidence-based quality provision" and added it was "confident it will have addressed all the concerns raised by the CQC inspections within the next four weeks."
In 2011, the CQC issued two formal warnings in relation to Jade House and Sapphire House,. By the following year they were deemed compliant with care standards but representatives of North East Lincolnshire Council, Humberside Police, the Probation Trust and Care Trust Plus wrote to both the CQC and Carmand about "ongoing concerns".
The latest report also highlights its latest addition, Emerald House, in Brigg, as failing to meet the required national standards of quality and safety.
Inspectors said during the round of visits they found issues including poor care planning and failure to fully safeguard residents. Staff shortages were apparent, as was a distinct lack of clear leadership, the CQC said.
The CQC has told Carmand that it must provide a report within 14 days from July 26, setting out the action it will take.
Debbie Westhead, CQC deputy chief inspector of adult social care in the North, said: "The failings at all four homes are a real concern and we're considering the need for further action against Carmand. "We've shared our concerns with the Local Authority Commissioning and Safeguarding teams, and have told Carmand where improvements must be made.
"We'll continue to monitor all four homes in liaison with the local authority to ensure that residents are not at risk."
A Carmand statement said: "Carmand is committed to delivering quality outcomes for all the individuals and is working collaboratively with the local authority, commissioning and safeguarding teams to review the placements for all clients it is currently supporting to ensure their needs, welfare, safety and future pathways are not further compromised by the failings the reports have highlighted.
"Since the recent CQC inspection visits, Carmand Ltd has engaged transparently with the clients, their families and all relevant statutory agencies to provide additional information on its immediate and longer term responses to the concerns raised."
The firm said a plan had been implemented, including leadership changes, the appointment of an experienced registered manager from a mental health nursing background and two deputy managers "to ensure that our clients are never again found to be at risk".
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