A care service has failed to improve following a recent inspection by the health and social care watchdog.

Allcare Nurses Agency Limited in Albion Road, Blackburn, is a domiciliary care service providing personal care to adults and children. At the time of the inspection, on May 3, they were supporting 28 people with personal care.

A report from the Care Quality Commission, dated June 14, said that the last rating for the service, in January 2020, was ‘requires improvement’, but the rating following this inspection remained the same.

Despite the service being rated ‘good’ in the areas of ‘responsive’, ‘caring’ and ‘effective’, it was rated ‘requires improvement’ in the areas of ‘safe’ and ‘well led’, mainly due to shortfalls in medication recording, audits, and management of the service.

The report stated: “At the time of our inspection there was not a registered manager in post.

"The nominated individual and deputy manager were undertaking management duties.

"The nominated individual told us they had commenced the recruitment process for a new manager.

“Medicine administration records had been completed. However, improvements were required.

“Not all medicines had been signed for on the MAR (medication administration record). Where gaps were noted, daily diary records confirmed medicines had been given.

“There was no coding in place to enable staff to record accurately the reasons why medicines were not given. MAR charts had been developed by the office.

“We saw they had not been signed by two staff to ensure they were in line with prescribed medicines.

"The management team told us they had introduced two staff checking the MAR prior to them going into people's care file.

“We recommend the provider seeks nationally recognised guidance to ensure records were detailed and in place and take action to update their practice accordingly.

“The management and nominated individual completed a range of audits to monitor the service.

“Whilst these had been completed recently, they were basic and required more detail in relation to the audit and, the actions to be taken.

“The systems in place had not identified some of the findings at this inspection. One audit on medication administration did not identify the gaps in the medication administration.

"The nominated individual took immediate action to develop a more robust auditing system. They told us they were looking to develop these further.

“Most people were complimentary about the management and staff team at the service, however, others told us, ‘I have never met her or spoken to her. She should have visited me but didn't,' and ‘They (the service) have a duty of care. I wouldn't recommend them, but at the beginning I would have’.

“We have made recommendations in relation to medicines management and the operation and oversight of the service. We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.”

Allcare Nurses Agency has been contacted for comment.