A CARE facility that sends out carers to homes across Leigh has been given a damning inspection by the Care Quality Commission.

Previously rated as a 'Good' facility in all areas, Excel Care Management was given an overall rating of 'Requires Improvement' following its inspection in January.

While the Bradshawgate-based facility was reported to be 'Good' in its effectiveness, responsiveness, and care given by staff, it was given a 'Requires Improvement' grade in the safety and well-led categories.

READ > School uniform shop named for defaulting on more than £80,000 in tax

Care facility placing people at risk of harm

Published earlier this month, the CQC report states that medicines were "not managed safely" by carers and placed people "at risk of harm".

This was due to medicines not being given as prescribed, the report reads, with examples of patients being put at risk of potential overdoses as time intervals were often not fully observed.

The CQC report states that people were also placed at risk of harm due to a "lack of effective governance systems".

As medicine-related risk assessments and care plans were often not up to date and audits were either "not effective" or "not in place", the problems within the facility had not been appropriately addressed.

Patients feel safe as a result of care provided

Despite the shortcomings in the CQC inspection, it was reported that people felt "safe as a result of the care they received".

A good relationship was reported between patients and carers, while safeguarding and recruitment procedures were also reported to be safe and understood.

There was no negative impact found in care due to insufficient staffing levels, although some patients felt that more was required, with staff sickness often presenting problems.

Mixed feedback from staff members

In line with the mixed reviews in the wider CQC report, Excel also recorded mixed feedback from staff members.

Some said that Excel is an "amazing company [that] go above and beyond for everyone", while others said that "there is a lack of teamwork [...] and lack of communication between management and staff".

Another comment said that there is "poor management and leadership" at the facility".

Inspection affected by recent takeover, Excel say

Fiona Rowley, Registered Care Manager at Excel, said that the facility is a "trusted provider" of home care and support services for more than 10 years, and is "committed to providing the best support to our clients in the community".

After recently extending its contract with Wigan Council, Ms Rowley said that the facility has "always had an open and transparent approach to our service provision".

In response to the CQC inspection, Ms Rowley said: "We took an opportunity to take over a failing care provider in September 2022, which had a lot of outstanding issues that needed addressing.

"Unfortunately for us, this was never going to be a quick fix, and our inspection rating has been affected by these issues.

"We are currently restructuring our care team, have added new members, and awarded more responsible roles to the right candidates.

"Our recruitment remains ongoing, and we are working hard to manage the dynamics of the sometimes very difficult process of health and social care sector recruitment.

"Our staffing levels have only ever been affected by sickness, which has been a result of COVID and other viral infections, and this has been the case with the whole sector and across the country."

Ms Rowley also pointed to the positive work that the company does in the community such as numerous fundraising initiatives and the sponsoring of Leigh RUFC.