Wakefield care provider rated inadequate despite 'exceptionally positive' feedback from families

A homecare provider has been placed in special measures, despite patients and their families giving "exceptionally positive" feedback about its service.
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Academy Care, which is based in Wakefield city centre, was set up in 2019 and had 23 elderly users on its books when it was first inspected by the regulator across February and March this year.

But despite patients and their relatives offering high praise for Academy, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has rated the service 'inadequate'.

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It means the service is in special measures and has to improve rapidly to avoid risking closure.

The provider was inspected for the first time across February and March this year.The provider was inspected for the first time across February and March this year.
The provider was inspected for the first time across February and March this year.

In a mixed report by the CQC, Academy Care staff were praised for being caring and involving families in key decisions.

But the service was told its hiring processes were "unsafe", partly because potential employees did not have to fill out a job application before the interview stage.

The report said: "Recruitment procedures were not sufficiently safe to ensure people were protected from the risk of unsuitable staff being employed.

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"There was no record of current or previous employment, no reference details or references on file and no interview notes.

The service is based on Westgate in Wakefield.The service is based on Westgate in Wakefield.
The service is based on Westgate in Wakefield.

The watchdog stressed there was no evidence any harm had come to any patient as a result of the failings. But it said the provider had "failed to recognise" these procedures were not robust enough.

There was also criticism of the service's leadership and it was said that medicines weren't managed safely.

Inspectors added: "The provider had minimal oversight over key aspects of the service. There were extremely limited records of the provider monitoring and assessing aspects of the service they were providing to people."

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However, the CQC acknowledged the views of people who used Academy, with many quoted as saying they were very happy with the service and they felt the provider was approachable.

The report said: "People and their relatives were exceptionally positive regarding the provider

"Relatives told us they were involved in making decisions about their care and support and were confident their views were listened to, valued and acted upon."

Academy's manager declined to comment on the findings.

Local Democracy Reporting Service