HEALTH and social care chiefs in East Ayrshire say they're working hard to improve after care watchdogs ordered improvements in a key service.
The Care Inspectorate said "strengths just outweighed weaknesses" in four key areas of the care at home and housing support service provided by the East Ayrshire health and social care partnership (HSCP) in the southern part of the authority - including the Cumnock area and the Doon Valley.
An inspection team carried out an examination of the service over five days in February.
Their newly-published report says that the service's support for people's wellbeing, leadership, staffing, and planning of care and support were only 'adequate'.
The Care Inspectorate said staff were compassionate and respectful towards people, and as a result people who use the service liked their support staff.
But they have imposed one requirement - to ensure that the systems that are in place to ensure people receive their medication are safe and effective - and three 'areas for improvement'.
The report says the requirement must be met by June 30.
The HSCP is registered to provide a combined Care at Home and Housing Support service to people living in their own homes throughout East Ayrshire.
Support is offered to individuals within their own homes and five sheltered housing complexes throughout the south locality of East Ayrshire.
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The report said that while there were "warm, trusting and engaging relationships between staff and people supported", planned or short-notice changes to support was not always communicated.
In addition, the watchdog said that medication observations "are not undertaken prior to supporting with medication independently", and added: "There is therefore no assurance for the management team that staff are able to put into practice what they have learned during their induction."
A spokesperson for the HSCP said: "East Ayrshire HSCP is committed to meeting people’s outcomes through the delivery of high quality care provided by knowledgeable, experienced and compassionate staff.
"We welcome and value the feedback and scrutiny that the Care Inspectorate has provided to the Care at Home service.
"We recognise that there are areas to improve on to achieve higher grades and are pleased that the inspection highlighted areas that the service had identified in improvement plans.
"The service completed a survey recently where continuity, consistency and communication in relation to planned support were rated highly."
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It added that the service has already taken steps to improve medication and quality assurance.
The spokesperson continued: "A new medication guideline was introduced in 2023 and we are making good progress in implementing all aspects including greater scrutiny in delivery and strengthened audit processes.
"A robust quality assurance framework was in place prior to the inspection and we expect to see the benefits of this approach as we move into the spring. Evidence will be used to focus on celebrating successes, and sharing learning and good practice.
"The service has already taken action since the inspection to improve care plan recording and is updating care plans in line with recommendations.
"The service will continue to embrace opportunities for feedback to inform improvement in the delivery of high quality services to the people of East Ayrshire."
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