Autism and ADHD centre out of special measures – but must still improve

A centre in Heywood that treats people with autism and ADHD has been taken out of special measures by the health watchdog – but told it still needs to improve.

The Learning Assessment and Neurocare Centre (LANCuk) was put under threat of closure earlier this year, after an inspection found it had failed to address problems found at a previous check.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated the Heywood service – as ‘inadequate’ and gave it six months to up its game, or face enforcement action.

Shortcomings at the centre, in Adelaide Street, included out-of-date patient records, failures to complete risk assessments and the absence of alarms in interview rooms.

Registered manager Dr Neil Rutterford was said not to have ‘oversight of safeguarding alerts or concerns’.

However, the most recent inspection of the service found that ‘some significant improvements had been made’ and it could be taken out of special measures.

A recently published CQC report states: “The service had addressed a number of actions raised at the last inspection: there was a height measure in place, equipment had been calibrated and an alarm system was in place.

“All clinical premises where patents received care were safe, clean, well equipped, well furnished, well maintained and fit for purpose. “

It adds: “Staff understood how to protect patients from abuse and the service worked well with other agencies to do so.”

The centre was also said to treat patients with ‘compassion and kindness’, while understanding their individual needs’.

However, some problems still remain, and the service has been given a ‘requires improvement’ rating – one up from ‘inadequate’.

Outlining some of the persistent issues the report states: “There were a high number of patients waiting to be assessed by the service. Some patients waited over a year for their face to face assessment.

“The service did not always complete risk screening for each patient and therefore did not fully consider any potential risks of working with each patient on an individual basis.”

Inspectors also noted that the registered manager was not based at Heywood and did not see the majority of his staff on a regular basis.

He was, they said, ‘therefore unaware of the quality of their practice and the service they provided to patients’.

The provider’s policy states that staff should receive one to one supervision from the registered manager’.

The centre has been told it must now ensure risk screening is completed for all patients and that staff receive one-to-one supervision to keep their practice is ‘up to date and of a high quality’.

LANCuk accepts private referrals for children and adults and is commissioned by the NHS to provide assessments and diagnostics for people living in Oldham, Rochdale and Bury.

LANCuk was contacted for comment, but did not respond.

Nick Statham, Local Democracy Reporter