A care agency which looks after people with learning disabilities has been ordered to improve after its latest inspection.

The Domiciliary Support Team, based on Blackburn Road in Radcliffe, has been rated ‘requires improvement’ by healthcare regulator, the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

The agency is registered to provide personal care to people with learning disabilities, mental health and autism who live in their own homes and in supported living settings.

At the time of the inspection, which took place at the end of May, staff were caring for six people in their own homes and 29 people in seven supported living settings.

The provider was ordered to improve in four or the five areas it was monitored on - its safety, effectiveness, responsiveness and leadership.

The report found that quality assurance systems needed improvement to ensure staff were being provided with up-to-date information.

Three safeguarding incidents reported to the council had not been notified to the CQC as well despite it being a legal requirement.

The report stated: “People's food and fluid intake was not monitored and recorded effectively.

“One person needed support to eat and drink due to problems with their memory.

“There was no record of fluids being recorded to identify whether the person was having enough to drink.

“There was a monthly weight chart, but it had not been completed as required.

“Action was taken immediately to address the issues identified.”

The report added: “We found shortfalls in one care plan, where the person's communication plans did not accurately reflect the detail provided in formal assessments by the local authority and the NHS.

“These assessments are used to identify possible triggers, where people may become anxious and identify strategies to manage this.”

The CQC has told the service to take action and said: “Recording shortfalls had not been identified through quality monitoring systems.

“We were not assured the provider had clear oversight of the service.”

There were some positive aspects mentioned in the report and the area of whether the provider is caring has been scored in the category of 'good'.

The report stated: “We received positive feedback from people and their relatives about the care provided.

“They told us care was person centred, people were treated with dignity and respect and staff were kind and caring.”

The report also mentioned that each supported living property was adapted to meet the needs of the people living there, people were supported to eat and drink in line with their cultural beliefs and people’s rooms were personalised, comfortable and well-equipped.

Relatives also said that people were supported to access healthcare services.

Person-centred care plans identified key routines and support needs and staff supported people to work towards individual goals that were important to them.

The report said: “Staff told us people had active lives.

“We received positive feedback from a visiting professional about people's support to access activities and the wider community."

The Domiciliary Support Team has been approached for a comment.