Edinburgh care-at-home service slammed as 'weak' by watchdog after missed visits

Inspectors watched over Amaris Care's operations earlier this year.

An Edinburgh care-at-home service was criticised by a watchdog over missed visits and unsafe recruitment practices.

The Care Inspectorate watched over Amaris Care's operations earlier this year. At the time, the firm cared for 15 people across the Capital and the Lothians.

Despite service users reporting staff to be 'kind and respectful', missed visits had already raised alarm bells among inspectors. "Prior to our inspection, we were made aware of a series of missed visits for a PWEC", a report reads.

The Care Inspectorate is the watchdog for care services in Scotland.

"We understood that the service did not raise concerns or escalate a response to ensure that the individual was safe. This inaction potentially contributed to serious negative outcomes for the person concerned."

'Inconsistency' was also noted in the timings of scheduled visits. Meanwhile, there were 'gaps' in medication records and some personal plans stated that service users should receive drugs they were no longer prescribed.

The quality of staffing and leadership within the service was called into question. The document continues: "While managers responded to individual concerns, or crises as these arose, there was limited evidence of learning from adverse events to reduce the chance of the same issues recurring.

"We found incidents and concerns that required notification to the Care Inspectorate in line with regulatory guidance. These issues were not always adequately documented or logged in the service's records, which reduced management oversight."

It adds: "There was an absence of practical Moving and Handling learning and Dementia training. This meant we could not be certain staff had the necessary skills to safely provide care to people using the service.

"The Provider must develop a suitable programme of staff training, ensuring that care workers have the requisite learning to provide safe and effective support."

'Significant gaps' were spotted in 'key areas around safe recruitment', while staffing records in general were 'not well maintained or readily accessible'.

Amaris Care declined to comment on the inspection.