A care agency which lied about the level of training its staff had has been shut down after concerns over patient safety.

Inspectors reported a “failure in leadership” at Maxi Health Care Limited, based in Shooters Chase, Iwade, which has been rated “inadequate” by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

It provided support for people with very complex needs in their own homes, including those who required oxygen therapy or had epilepsy.

Following an inspection between February 26 and March 6, the organisation was placed in special measures.

Those using the service were helped to find an alternative.

The care regulator found five breaches of legal regulations concerning safe care and treatment, safeguarding, safe and effective staffing, good governance and failure to notify the CQC of notifiable incidents.

It was also rated “inadequate” overall and for being safe and well-led, both of which had dropped from “good”.

The provider did not have a robust system in place to review incidents and accidents and ensure appropriate action was taken

In the report published today (Wednesday), the inspector detailed how clients’ needs were not fully assessed before their care began.

They said: “For example, one person's care package had started two weeks prior to our assessment and the provider had not assessed their needs and ensured a care plan and guidance was in place for staff.

“There were no risk assessments or information to ensure staff could support the person safely.”

In July, safeguarding concerns were raised to the CQC by a paramedic “regarding skin tears”.

There was no evidence that this had been managed and addressed properly.

“The provider did not have a robust system in place to review incidents and accidents and ensure appropriate action was taken,” the report went on to say.

“The provider's incident logs lacked information, including the person's name relating to the incident and the staff members names that were involved.”

The inspector said that the care agency hadn’t been transparent and failed to disclose the full number of clients it supported – including more than 27 people in the Bath and Somerset region.

Serena Coleman, CQC deputy director of operations in the south, said: “When we inspected Maxi Health Care Limited we found a failure in leadership, poor culture and ineffective systems and processes meant people using the service weren’t safe.

“Staff weren’t managing medicines safely and dosage information wasn’t consistent across records meaning people could receive too much or too little.

“Incident and safeguarding logs weren’t kept up to date and lacked detail, meaning we couldn’t be assured that appropriate action was taken in response or that leaders were helping staff to learn from incidents to help prevent them from happening again.

“Staff hadn’t completed training that was relevant to their role and the people they supported.

“For example, staff hadn’t completed training in catheter care, wound/pressure care, epilepsy, or oxygen therapy despite caring for people who needed support with these healthcare issues.

“Leaders had told their funding authority that this training had been carried out when it hadn’t.

“It’s always a last resort for CQC to take action which results in a service closing, particularly when it is an urgent closure as we understand the distress and upset this can cause.

“However, people using services should receive safe, effective and high-quality care that meets their needs.

“Everyone using the service has been supported to find an alternative care agency to meet their needs safely.”

Maxi Health Care Limited has been approached for comment.