SUMMARY OF COMPLAINT AGAINST
Independent Living Services - ILS Renfrewshire
CS2011280439
Complaint Reference:
2011301278
Date of Complaint:
26 September 2011
Overall Outcome:
Partially Upheld
In this summary:
• ‘the service owner’ may be called the provider
• ‘the resident’ may be called the service user
Details of the complaint
The Care Commission received a complaint about
Independent Living
Services - ILS Renfrewshire.
The complaint was as follows:
General Health and Welfare
a. The complainant is concerned regarding the standard of service
provided. Care staff failed to visit the service user’s to provide an
evening meal. Care staff continually arrive earlier than agreed to
assist the service user to bed.
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April 2012
Method of investigation
As the local office of Independent Living Services (ILS) had recently closed, we
made a visit on 07 November 2011 to the company's Motherwell office to review
relevant documentation. A visit was also made to the Prestwick office on 10
November 2011 to speak with staff who had been involved with the service
user’s care package.
We have spoken with the following personnel:
• Regional manager
• Service managers
• Customer care supervisors
We have also reviewed the following documentation:
• Risk assessment and risk management plan - dated February 2011
• Support agreement - signed by complainant, dated March 2011
• Support plan - dated March 2011
• Note of a meeting held with social work, the complainant and ILS -
dated 14 September 2011
• Request for private homecare information from East Renfrewshire
Council - dated August 2010
• Significant incident form and variation form - missed tea and tuck visit
28 August 2010
We also reviewed information stored within the company's computer
system.
Conclusion
We partially upheld this part of the complaint
a. The complainant is concerned regarding the standard of service
provided by the company. Care staff have failed to attend to provide the
service user’s evening meal visit. Care staff continually arrive earlier
than agreed to assist the service user to bed.
The initial referral documentation from East Renfrewshire Council requested
the service user’s evening visit be 9pm or later. The referral also
acknowledges the latest visit that can be provided from the private homecare
services used by the Local Authority is 9pm.
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April 2012
The complainant has told us it was their understanding, and reason for
choosing this care provider, that the service user bedtime visit would be at
10pm.
We believe the service user began using the service in July 2010. There was
no evidence within the documentation we reviewed of a support agreement
having been in place until March 2011. (See recommendation)
The information on file suggests the company did try to accommodate a later
visit of about 9:15pm; however this was not always possible and visits did
take place earlier.
As a result of concerns being raised directly with the company from the
complainant about the timing of their night visit, one of the Customer Care
Supervisors attended the complainant's home in March 2011. A support
agreement was signed at this time by the service user. The agreement states
8pm as being the time of their night visit.
We have not upheld the concerns regarding the timing of the evening visits
as a signed support agreement was in place agreeing to 8pm as the time of
the tuck visit.
We have however recommended the company review their practices to
ensure a support agreement is in place from the date the service user begins
using the service. (See recommendation)
Information on file and held in the company IT system demonstrated during
the service user’s time using the company there had been two teatime visits
missed.
This element of the complaint has therefore been upheld. (See
requirement)
The complaint is Partially Upheld.
Expected Action Recommendations/Requirements
Requirement
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April 2012
1. The Provider will ensure all support visits to service users are
conducted in line with prior agreements in order that their assessed
needs are met.
This is to comply with:
The Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland
(Requirements for Care Services) Regulations 2011 (Scottish
Statutory Instruments 2011/ 210), Regulation 4 (1) (a) Make proper
provision for the health, welfare and safety of service users.
Recommendation
1. The manager of the service should ensure service users receive a
written agreement which clearly defines how the service will meet their
needs, including the agreed times of support visits.
National Care Standards, Care at Home, Standard 2 - The Written
Agreement.
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April 2012