Unicorn Healthcare Services

During an assessment under our new approach

Date of assessment; 29 October 2024 to 5 November 2024. The assessment was completed due to concerns we received about the service. The service has been rated inadequate. We identified 4 breaches of regulations. People were not supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff did not support them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service did not support this practice. There were concerns around risk to people and how these were assessed and managed. Support plans and risk assessments were not regularly reviewed to ensure people were receiving care which met their current needs. People were not always protected against the risk of infection; staff did not always have the correct personal protective equipment (PPE) when visiting people at home. Medicines were not always administered safely, and people did not always receive them as prescribed. Staff were not recruited safely and did not always have the qualifications, skills, competencies and experience to carry out their role. The leadership, governance and culture did not promote the delivery of high-quality, person-centred care. The provider did not have consistent leadership and managers, and senior staff were unclear about what their roles were. For instances where CQC have decided to take civil enforcement action against a provider, we will publish this information on our website after any representations and /or appeal have been concluded. The service is being placed in special measures. The purpose of special measures is to ensure that services providing inadequate care make significant improvements. Special measures provide a framework within which we use our enforcement powers in response to inadequate care and provide a timeframe within which providers must improve the quality of care provided.

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