A supported living service for people with additional needs is in need of improvement according to the healthcare watchdog.

A team of two from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspected Bolton Supported Living Service, run by Bolton Cares, over the course of a month this year.

The CQC published a report on March 20 in which the Supported Living service was rated "requires improvement" across almost all areas.

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The service, responsible for more than 200 people with additional needs such as autism or mental health, was rated "good" in only one area- whether it is caring.

Inspectors identified a number of issues from the administration and management of medicines to the recording and reviewing of incidents.

They suggested a lot of these issues were a result of a lack of staff with the service using agency workers in their place.

A report reads: "We saw the provider promoted a culture of person-centred care with innovative and empowering support in supported settings where there was a strong registered manager presence. 

"However, we found in some supported settings the provider's increased use of agency workers impacted the promotion of person-centred care as people's choices were restricted by not having staff available to meet their needs and who understood how to effectively support them."

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A spokesperson for Bolton Cares, which is based at the Thicketford Centre in Tonge Moor, said: "We are understandably disappointed by the CQC rating of our supported living service in Bolton. 

"While we acknowledge that there is room for improvement in our service, we feel that many of the issues identified by CQC are reflective of the challenges brought about post-Covid and the resulting workforce shortages that have affected us and the wider health and social care sector adversely. 

"We remain secure in the knowledge that our staff are highly caring and treat those in our care with respect, dignity and compassion.

"The report recognises we promote a culture of person-centred care and highlights positive feedback received from the people supported and their families about their experience along with our robust safeguarding practices. 

"The report acknowledges the positive improvement journey already underway within our supported living service in the six months prior to inspection, including the recent appointment of our new leadership team within the service.

"The findings of the inspection give us the confidence that we are on the right path, and we will continue our journey to bring about consistency of practice and ensure everyone who uses our services is safe, lives independently and lives life their way.

"We have responded proactively to the recommendations made by CQC and have already taken interim measures since the inspection to address areas for improvement outlined in the report prior to its publication.

"We have developed a comprehensive action plan following the inspection to get us back to a 'good' rating and are confident we will remedy the issues raised.

"We will report progress on a regular basis to CQC and our shareholder and contracting authority, Bolton Council."

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A spokesperson for the council, the owner of Bolton Cares, added: "We are aware of the findings of the latest CQC report.

"The council is fully committed to providing good quality adult social care in Bolton. 

"Officers will work in close partnership with Bolton Cares to support them with their improvement journey."

This article was written by Jack Tooth. To contact him, email jack.tooth@newsquest.co.uk or follow @JTRTooth on Twitter.