Latest news with #HazelRoberts
BBC News
6 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Suffolk care provider rated as inadequate by watchdog
A care provider that looks after people with dementia, mental health conditions and physical disabilities has been rated inadequate by a health watchdog. Hearts of Care Agency, based in Ipswich, Suffolk, was placed into special measures by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).The CQC said the firm, which provides cares for 16 people in their own home, was inadequate for being safe, effective, responsive and well-led. Hearts of Care Agency said it was "disappointed" by the CQC's rating but would "learn from our mistakes". The firm being placed in special measures means the business will be closely monitored and a timeframe has been set out for improvements to be made, the CQC said. A report, which was published by the watchdog, stated that a condition was placed on Hearts of Care Agency when it registered with the CQC to not provide services for autistic adults or adults with a learning however, found that these services were being carried CQC inspection, which was carried out in May, also found that the firm was supporting children and younger adults with personal care when it was not registered to do so. Poor leadership Hazel Roberts, the CQC deputy director of operations in the East of England, said: "When we inspected the Hearts of Care Agency, we were concerned to find the service wasn't always meeting people's needs safely, because leaders weren't managing the service well."Leaders had not registered with CQC to care for children, young people, autistic people, or people with a learning disability, but were providing care to them anyways. "We were deeply concerned to find staff didn't always understand how best to support their individual needs or respect their rights." Mark Elvidge, the director of Hearts of Care Agency, said: "Following our recent assessment Hearts of Care Agency are extremely disappointed with our rating of inadequate. "We have happy clients and happy staff and view this rating as harsh and unfair."However, we will not be complacent about our failings. As a director, I take full responsibility, but I can assure our clients, staff, and public we will learn from our mistakes and shortcomings."He said the firm has a plan in place to make improvements before the next inspection in August. Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
09-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Suffolk care service put in special measures after failings
A care service that was found to have serious safety and safeguarding failings has been placed into special Care Services - East of Anglia, based in Newmarket, Suffolk, is a domiciliary and supported living care service for the elderly, those with mental and physical care needs and others with learning disabilities since Care Quality Commission (CQC) visited the service, which has several sites, at the end of last year before giving it an overall rating of Roberts, deputy director of CQC operations in the east, said it was "extremely disappointing" while a spokesperson for the service said it had created an action plan to address the issues. During their visit, inspectors did note how people were "generally happy with their care", but assessments found care "did not meet the expected standards".Six breaches of regulations were found in relation to risk management, safeguarding, consent, staff training, fit and proper persons employed and governance. Inspectors noted there was one incident where a person had sustained a broken finger that had not been recorded within their daily notes until 10 days a GP had been contacted and the service said the person's family was aware. Another issue highlighted was that CCTV was being used in shared areas of people's supported living homes without their knowledge or were also not informed of its use while another occasion a downstairs kitchen window had been broken and was not closing, exposing a wide said it had been reported "some time ago", but senior staff "were unaware of any records".Ms Roberts said the CQC had told leaders it expected to see "rapid improvements"."We will continue to monitor the home closely to keep people safe during this time," she said."We will return to check on progress and won't hesitate to use our regulatory powers further if people aren't receiving the care they have a right to expect." 'Different experiences' A spokesperson for Lav Care Services Ltd argued points raised in the report were "factually incorrect" and it had provided information to CQC to challenge some of company pointed out that one of the sites inspected no longer had any service users, but it aimed to improve by adding new managers with "different experiences" as well as ensure staff had been "attending refresher training and new training" to broaden their skillbase. The spokesperson added the service had sent its action plan to the CQC, but was yet to receive a response. Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Hazel Picking, wartime Wren who relayed signals in Morse code using an Aldis lamp
Hazel Picking, who has died aged 100, was a visual signaller in the WRNS during the Second World War. As a Girl Guide, Hazel Roberts (as she was born) had been good at Morse and semaphore, and, coming from a naval family, it was clear during the war that as soon as she became old enough she would join the Women's Royal Naval Service. She spent a few months at Kensington Secretarial School, but in 1943, aged 18, she volunteered, and was trained at the signals training centre, HMS Cabbala, outside Wigan. Her job was to relay Morse-code signals by light through an Aldis lamp. Her first trained job was in Rosyth dockyard before she was sent to the shore establishment HMS Rosemarkie on the Black Isle in the Scottish Highlands. At a party in the 'Wrennery' on Christmas Night 1943 she met 26-year-old Royal Marines Captain Bernie 'Stormy' Webb. She had first seen him through the lens of her signals telescope and thought him 'the best-looking of a bad-looking bunch'. When Webb was posted to Fort Gilkicker in Gosport, Hazel Roberts wangled an appointment to HMS Hornet, the nearby base for fast motorboats. Webb, she recalled, would send out scouts from his unit to find out which pub had beer, and there they would meet. If across the harbour, they would often rush to catch the last ferry back, sometimes having to jump on as it was leaving. They married at the end of 1944, when Webb was about to embark for the war in the Pacific. On the night before D-Day, when Hazel had finished her watch by sending messages in readiness for the fleet's departure, she saw the Solent so full of craft that 'you could have walked all the way to the Isle of Wight without getting wet'. But when she returned the next morning, 'there was not a boat to be seen – just clear blue water.' On VE-Day she was at the end of the pier at Ryde signal station, unable to join the celebrations, and spent her night on watch sending chatty messages to the few remaining ships in the Solent. She was demobbed at the end of 1945, and Webb returned home in early 1946. Hazel Mary Roberts was born on January 17 1925 in Poole. She was brought up along the coast in Southampton and educated at the Parents' National Educational Union school there, and later at Christ's Hospital, Hertford. Her father, Edward Roberts, fought in the battleship Vanguard at the Battle of Jutland in 1916, and an ancestor, 18-year-old midshipman John Aikenhead, was killed in the ship of the line, Royal Sovereign, at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Hazel's first marriage lasted 10 years, after which she supported herself as a medical secretary, working for Linwood Strong opticians, then for the Blood Transfusion Service in Sutton, and at an X-ray unit in nearby Worcester Park as the medical director's secretary. In 1967 she went to Epsom College as school secretary. On Burns Night 1972 she met Thomas Picking on a blind date: during their marriage they travelled extensively in Europe, South Africa and North America, and they later became volunteers and team leaders at Painshill Park in Surrey, where they undertook a wide range of jobs. Hazel Picking became a donation governor at Christ's Hospital and presented two pupils to the school. Her husband died in 2009, and she is survived by a son from her first marriage. Hazel Picking, born January 17 1925, died February 14 2025 Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
BBC News
12-02-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Basildon Hospital warned to urgently improve A&E wait times
A hospital has been ordered to urgently improve the speed of patient assessment in its A&E waiting Care Quality Commission (CQC) said prolonged waiting times could be posing a particular danger to patients with deteriorating comes two months after a woman spent 28 hours waiting for care at Basildon Hospital before being Mid and South Essex Trust, which runs three sites including Basildon, says it is working with the regulator to improve waiting times. The warning notice was served by the CQC after it revealed "significant concerns" over patient safety after carrying out an unannounced inspection in December, then following up in January. During the inspections, the CQC identified an absence of a "robust booking system" which could compromise patient safety if they were not assessed properly upon a result, the commission utilised Section 31 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008, which gives it the powers to urgently alter or remove conditions of registration. During the visits, inspectors said they were forced to raise the alarm after one person had a seizure on the floor. On another occasion, a patient was so ill they had to be the first visit, the hospital trust had said a nurse and health care assistant would be added to the waiting room team, but inspectors reported they did not see any during the follow-up on 8 January, according to the letter. The CQC's deputy regional director, Hazel Roberts, said the booking system - which staff and patients said could take hours during busy times - risked patients deteriorating while waiting to be booked Sarkar, chief nursing and quality officer from MSEFT, said: "Although we know there is more work to do, we've been quick to address the immediate concerns raised."The trust said registered nurse and health care assistants had been added to the waiting room rota, but it would also look into expanding its emergency department with capital investment, and bringing in external CQC said the full report would be published when the quality assurance process was hospital is currently rated "requires improvement" overall. Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
