A company that provided personal care services even though it was not registered with the Care Quality Commission as required by law has been fined £4,000.
CQC issued a fixed penalty notice to Independence Enabling Limited, of High Street, Honiton, Devon after a director admitted providing care services while it was unregistered over a three year period.
It is an offence under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 to carry out a regulated activity – in this case, providing personal care - without being registered with CQC.
The care services were being provided by a number of staff employed by Independence Enabling Limited to a child with cerebral palsy living at home. The company is no longer providing the service.
Sally Warren, Deputy Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care, said:
"The law requiring care agencies to register with the Care Quality Commission is there to protect people who need care in their own homes. That ensures that all registered providers are then subject to a system of monitoring and ongoing inspection to make sure that standards are being maintained.
"Providers of personal care services deal in private with people whose circumstances can often make them vulnerable, and who may not be able to report abuse or poor care.
"In these circumstances we will not hesitate to take further action to protect people from providers who ignore the requirements of the law."
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