Updated 19 June 2024
We completed an assessment at HLC Care Agency on 19 June 2024 to 27 June 2024. This service is registered to support autistic people and people with a learning disability. At the time of the assessment, the service was not used by anyone with a learning disability or an autistic person. However, we assessed the care provision under Right Support, Right Care, Right Culture (RSRCRC). This is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting (or registered to support) people with a learning disability, and autistic people and providers must have regard to it. The provider failed to ensure they met the principles of RSRCRC. We found people were at risk of harm. The provider had failed to safeguard people from potential harm and or abuse. People's health risks had not been well managed or mitigated. Safe recruitment processes had not been followed, for example the registered manager had not obtained relevant right to work checks and references for all staff. People’s care and support plans did not meet their needs and were not person centred. The service was not well led: there was a lack of governance processes such as audits in place. The registered manager had not ensured there was learning from the previous inspection and had not been able to evidence there were any improvements from last inspection. We identified widespread and serious concerns throughout the service that the provider had not identified which left people at risk of harm. We identified 8 breaches of the legal regulations in relation to safe care and treatment, safeguarding, staffing, fit and proper persons employed, governance, person centred care, failure to notify of incidents and failure to display ratings at the registered office. We took urgent action following the assessment to prevent the provider from accepting new care packages without the written permission of CQC.