A care home provider in Greenwich has been rated inadequate after an inspection by Care Quality Commission.

Daryel Care, in Cornwallis Road, received the rating after it was found that the service was “not safe” and “not well led.” 

The service received the rating after three separate inspections on June 26 and 27 and July 4.

It was found that the service required improvements in how caring, how responsive and how effective it is.  

This is the first time CQC has inspected the Greenwich care home since it was registered in December 2022.

It was carried out to follow up concerns received about poor risk management and governance, according to CQC.

Here is what the inspection found: 

Records showed leaders had not scheduled any travel time between care visits at different locations, and many staff recorded as being in two places at once. 

People’s medicines were not always managed safely, and medicines records weren’t always accurate. 

Many people said they were unhappy with how staff supported them with meals, and some people said staff didn’t always understand their individual dietary needs. 

Leaders did not always ensure staff had the training needed to support people’s individual needs, including training on the mental capacity act and training on caring for autistic people or people with a learning disability. 

Personal information for both staff and people using the service wasn’t always stored securely. 

Antoinette Smith, CQC deputy director of operations in London, said: “When we inspected Daryel Care Greenwich, we were disappointed to find that despite the best efforts of staff who were caring and competent, both they and people using the service were being let down by poor leadership. 

“Although many people said they felt safe with their regular carers, who understood their needs and preferences, we found these weren’t always recorded in people’s care plans. Additionally, we saw risks to people’s safety weren’t always assessed and recorded, and risk assessments often contained contradictory information and unclear guidance for staff. 

“This risks staff being unaware of or not knowing how to respond to someone’s individual needs, particularly as many people told us they didn’t always receive care from the same carers who knew them well. 

“Many people also told us their care visits were often late or missed, but complaints about this hadn’t been addressed by leaders.

“While people praised their individual carers, many said they felt unhappy with management. 

“Leaders didn’t have enough oversight of this service, which meant they failed to identify and respond to these issues.  

“We’ve told leaders areas they must improve to support their staff in providing safe and good quality care and will continue to monitor the service closely, including through future inspections, to ensure these improvements have been made.” 

Although it was rated inadequate, staff supported people to make choices and promoted the independence.

It was also found that staff told inspectors how they adapted care to meet people’s cultural and religious needs. 

Following the inspection, CQC issued a notice to the Greenwich care home to focus their attention on making immediate changes to improve people’s safety. 

It has also placed the service in special measures, which means it will be kept under review and re-inspected to check on the progress of improvements. 

The News Shopper has contacted Daryel Greenwich Care for a comment regarding the inspection.