AN AYRSHIRE-BASED home care provider used by North Ayrshire Council has received a damning report from the Care Inspectorate.

HRM Homecare Services, which provides home care for the elderly, disabled and vulnerable children, has until the end of the month to improve in six key areas - or face being shut down.

The areas of the service which require improvement include the scheduling and monitoring of visit times; ensuring service users are provided with care and support which meets their needs; staffing arrangements; recruitment; management; and notifications to Care Inspectorate.

The Kilmarnock-based company promotes itself on its website as “a leading care at home social care provider in Scotland.

Today, we are one of the most caring, experienced and innovative providers of ‘Care at Home’ in Scotland focused on supporting users of care services and their families to live independent lives. Providing over 9000 hours per week of social care supports, whilst promoting independence and re-ablement to Older People, Children and Families and Adults with Disabilities.” But a shock report from the Care Inspectorate reveals the private care company has fallen short of providing sufficient care in various areas and has just weeks left to address a range of issues.

The report details that the company has to improve in various areas but September 12, including; how and when meals and fluid are provided; administration of medicine; safety and wellbeing checks; level of personal support required for personal and intimate care needs.

Any by September 30 the firm must ensure that scheduled visit times and actual visit times correspond with those previously agreed by the service user and that there is an electronic system in place to monitor visit times.

The report also states: “By September 30, 2014 the service provider must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Care Inspectorate that all staff employed in the care service are fit to be so employed and that a satisfactory recruitment process has been undertaken prior to the commencement of employment of staff within the service.” North Ayrshire Council admitted it had used the service for one individual service user - but that the contract ended in July this year.

A spokesperson for North Ayrshire Council said: “The Council no longer has any involvement with HRM Homecare Services.

“We had only ever used this care provider for one individual service user. This contract ended in July (2014).” Lynn Laughland, the Managing Director of HRM Homecare, said: “We are committed to providing the very best level of service to the people we look after.

“We can assure them and their families that we are taking the Improvement Notice from the Care Inspectorate extremely seriously. We apologise to anyone who feels they have been let down.

“Holidays combined with unexpected staff sickness caused our service to be overstretched and in a few cases we fell short of our own high standards.

“We are working hard to address the issues raised by the Care Inspectorate.

“HRM Homecare has been caring for people in Ayrshire for 20 years and has a strong history and tradition of providing an excellent service.

“The company employs nearly 150 staff across East Ayrshire who are committed to providing high standards of care to people in their own homes.” A spokesman for the Care Inspectorate said: “We have informed the service of the areas which require immediate improvement in order to meet the standards we expect.

“We will be monitoring this service closely and if we do not see evidence of significant progress we will not hesitate to take further action.

“Everyone in Scotland has the right to safe, compassionate care which meets their needs and respects their rights.

“Anyone with a concern can contact our helpline on 0845 600 9527.”