Digbeth care provider put into special measures over safety failings

A Birmingham care provider for people with learning disabilities, substance misuse problems and mental health conditions has been placed into special measures by the Care Quality Commission.

Baobab Care UK, based on Alcester Street in Digbeth, has been downgraded from good to inadequate following an inspection in July. The service provides supported living, giving personal care to people in their own homes, and was supporting 16 people at the time of the inspection.

What inspectors found

• More than 20 staff had started work without criminal record checks.
• Staff did not always manage medicines safely, and there was no record of what had been prescribed.
• Some homes were dirty, damaged and hard to keep clean, and fire risks had not been properly assessed, "posing risks of serious harm".
• Staff sometimes went into services without enough colleagues to safely support people who needed one-to-one or two-to-one care.
• Several safeguarding concerns had not been recognised or reported to the council, and the service had not always followed up when people went missing for long periods.

In total, inspectors found six breaches of regulations, covering safe care and treatment, safeguarding, staffing, the employment of fit and proper persons, person-centred care and overall management.

"Leaders had lost sight of the risks"

Amanda Lyndon, the CQC's deputy director of adult social care for the region, said: "When we visited Baobab Care, we found a service where leaders had lost sight of the risks people faced every day. We found the basic checks that should have kept people safe simply weren't happening. When problems did emerge, nobody was learning from them or putting things right."

She said relatives had "mixed experiences". Some people felt safe and received care from regular staff, but others said staff were task-focused, and some families said they had "simply given up complaining".

"We were encouraged that the service engaged with us throughout the inspection and had already begun making changes, but much more work was needed," she said.

What special measures means

Special measures involve close monitoring by the CQC to make sure people are safe while improvements are made, with a clear timetable. If a service does not improve, the CQC can take further action, which can include cancelling its registration. The CQC has also begun the process of taking further regulatory action. Baobab Care UK has the right to appeal, and the full report is due to be published shortly.

Checking a care provider

Anyone choosing care for a relative can look up any registered provider's ratings and inspection reports on the CQC website. Families with concerns about care can raise them with the provider, with Birmingham City Council's adult social care team, or directly with the CQC, which uses feedback from the public to decide where to inspect.

Why checks matter

Criminal record checks through the Disclosure and Barring Service are a legal requirement for staff who provide personal care. They are designed to stop people who have been barred from working with vulnerable adults from being employed in roles where they could cause harm.