Westmead House in Farnborough where Anytime Care was based
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Farnborough care firm ceases operations
By Tim HarrisJanuary 23, 2013
A CARE agency in Farnborough that was failing to protect its clients has ceased operation.
An inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) was carried out at Anytime Care – a contractor for Hampshire County Council – and it concluded that a number of standards were not being met.
The CQC said the care agency, based in Westmead, needed to take action in respecting and involving people who used its services, consent to care and treatment, the care and welfare of clients, safeguarding service users from abuse, management of medicines, staffing, and notifications for absences.
A spokesman for Anytime Care confirmed the company had since agreed to cease trading.
Hampshire County Council will now determine who will provide the care packages for clients of Anytime Care.
The spokesman said Anytime Care was not in a position to meet all the requirements set out by the CQC.
The company, a privately-run domiciliary care agency, provided care to elderly people, those with learning disabilities, physical disabilities and mental health needs in the Aldershot, Farnborough and Blackwater areas.
The inspection was carried out in response to concerns that essential standards of quality and safety were not being met.
The CQC report read: “People’s views and experiences were not always taken into account in the way the service was provided and delivered in relation to their care.
“Before people received any care or treatment they were not asked for their consent. The provider did not have systems in place that were used to obtain people’s consent.
“People did not always experience care, treatment and support that met their needs and protected their rights.
"People who use the service were not protected from the risk of abuse, because the provider had not taken reasonable steps to identify the possibility of abuse and prevent abuse from happening.”
The report said people were not protected against the risks associated with medicines because there were no systems in place to manage them.
“We were not assured that at all times there were sufficient numbers of suitably qualified, skilled and experienced staff,” the inspectors added.
The CQC report said Anytime Care did not have an effective recruitment process and had not carried out "rigorous checks" to ensure those recruited were of good character and had suitable qualifications, skills and experience.
The commission took enforcement action in this area and also over support for workers at Anytime Care as inspectors found staff had not completed mandatory training.
Hampshire County Council confirmed another agency had now taken on the Anytime Care packages.
“Adult Services were made aware on January 7 that Anytime Care was closing,” said Councillor Felicity Hindson, Hampshire’s executive member for adult social care.
“The safety and wellbeing of service users is an absolute priority for Hampshire County Council. As the lead agency for safeguarding, we worked to ensure a smooth handover of service users and Anytime staff to a well-established local care agency. This was completed on January 9.
“We will continue to monitor the situation closely to ensure that each individual receives the care and support they need.”
The Anytime Care spokesman added: “Anytime Care worked with Hampshire County Council and CQC to ensure continuity of care by working together to implement a seamless transition to the new agency, who have absorbed all of the care packages.”
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