My Homecare in Reading and Bracknell rated inadequate and placed in special measures

My Homecare Reading and Bracknell has been rated inadequate by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and placed into special measures following an inspection which concluded in September.

The home care agency, which provides support to 25 people in their own homes, was inspected by CQC for the first time. Seven breaches of regulation were identified, including failures related to safeguarding, providing person-centred care, staffing, safe treatment, and management oversight.

CQC rated the service inadequate in four key areas – safety, effectiveness, responsiveness, and leadership. The caring aspect of the service was graded as requiring improvement.

The special measures aim to ensure the safety of those using the service while providing a structured framework for the agency to make required improvements. The timeframe also outlines steps CQC will take if changes are not made.

CQC has begun further regulatory action against the service, which My Homecare Reading and Bracknell Ltd has the right to appeal.

Concerns raised during inspection

Inspectors identified poor leadership within the agency, which they said had led to unsafe care being normalised. Issues included:

Staff recruited without adequate checks or training, and reports that people receiving care often did not feel safe

Lack of proper care planning or risk assessments, leading to unsafe practices, such as staff continuing personal care during a person’s seizure due to missing instructions

Neglect of safeguarding concerns, including incidents of bruising over a three-month period for one person that were not appropriately addressed

Privacy breaches, with personal information shared via WhatsApp

Rushed care, late arrivals to appointments, and task-focused service delivery

Poor medicines management, with relatives reporting instances where medicine was logged as taken when it was still in packaging

CQC inspectors also found that feedback and concerns raised by individuals or families were often ignored, and staff daily notes were sometimes copied and pasted, resulting in inaccurate records.

CQC statement

Amy Jupp, deputy director for the South East at CQC, commented: “When we inspected My Homecare Reading and Bracknell, we found poor leadership that meant people weren’t receiving safe, person-centred care.

"Leaders didn’t understand their responsibilities or the principles of providing safe support, which allowed unsafe care to become normalised.

“We’ve told leaders exactly where they must make immediate and significant improvements, and we are monitoring the service closely to keep people safe while these changes take place.”

We have contacted My Homecare Reading for a response.

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