A DIDCOT care agency has been criticised after overworked staff failed to constantly protect people from abuse and harm.

One comment in a staff member’s file at Didcot Self Directed Support Service said: “I am drowning in a sea of paperwork and need help.”

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) told the care agency it required improvement after failing to meet legal requirements in four of the five categories assessed.

Inspectors from the care watchdog said the 23 people who received support within their homes were not always safe after finding risk assessments were out of date and inaccurate.

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They also criticised the care agency, which is based in Wantage Road, for its “inconsistent management” that left staff feeling undervalued and unsupported.

The report, which was published last Monday[oct19], read: “The service was not always safe. Not all the care plans were accurate to reflect potential risks and management of these risks.

“This meant people were at risk of inconsistent care or not receiving the care and support they need.”

Inspectors, who visited the care agency on August 10 after it was given 48 hours’ notice, found there had not been a registered manager in post since January last year.

Staff commented they felt “overtired by work” and “felt isolated”, often working an extra two hours each day, receiving minimal supervision and had incomplete or out-of-date training.

Inspectors rated the safety, effectiveness and responsiveness of the service as requiring improvement but deemed it to be inadequately led.

People using the service also did not always know who to contact out of hours or at the weekend, which meant some could not “seek support or help if they needed”.

But inspectors said the service was caring, with people speaking positively about the relationships formed with staff.

Debbie Neill, director of services at Advance Housing and Support Ltd that manages the agency, said: “The welfare of our customers is our primary concern and we have well- developed processes to monitor and continuously improve the support we deliver to them.

“We had identified areas requiring improvement prior to the inspection by CQC and had already begun to address the issues identified through the development and monitoring of a Continuous Improvement Plan.

“The improvements have been completed and we continue to monitor the service closely."