Agency hired staff without checks

A home care agency has been damned in an inspection report that
revealed staff were employed without security checks.

The Commission for Social Care Inspection said care users were put
at risk at two branches of Local Solutions’ home care business in
Liverpool.

According to the report on the organisation’s north Liverpool
branch, staff were employed without Criminal Records Bureau
verification, while there was no evidence that checks had been made
at south Liverpool.

The agency’s management was damned in both reports. North Liverpool
failed six out of 11 national minimum standards on management and
organisation while south Liverpool failed five.

Local Solutions’ assistant chief executive Steve Hawkins said user
satisfaction, according to surveys, was high and added: “I want to
reassure all our users that we are committed to continually
improving our service.”