VULNERABLE people are being put at risk after carers failed to record their intake of medicine – despite being warned more than a year ago.

Agincare UK Brighton, based in Edward Street, an agency which sends carers into people’s homes, has failed three Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspections in a row for not having appropriate measures to record the administration of medication.

An inspection in June found one person was prescribed cream to be applied three times a day to reduce the risk of their skin breaking down and pressure sores developing.

But their medical chart form indicated the cream was not administered 12 times.

Another client was prescribed a pain patch which was to be changed every Friday, but March records showed the patch was only changed once in a month.

One person told inspectors: “The carers come to prompt me to take my medication. On a couple of occasions, they have not come and I’ve not been informed.

“I don’t mind, I just would like to know.

“I can take my medication myself but I just need help to remember.”

Adrian Hughes, CQC deputy chief Inspector for the south, said: “The agency has been failing to meet the required standard in this area for some time, and we have now issued them a formal warning to make it clear that we expect action to be taken to resolve these issues urgently.

“People have the right to receive care and treatment which is safe, effective, caring and responsive to their needs.

“We’ll return in due course to check that improvements have been made.”

The written warning comes after the centre failed its two previous inspections in February this year and May last year.

Agincare UK Ltd managing director Sarah Leskinen-Keel said: “CQC’s recent report found our Brighton service compliant in four out of five outcomes inspected.

“However, one outcome was found non compliant principally owing to shortfalls in how medication was recorded.

“CQC’s report notes that our service has systems in place and that staff are trained and knowledgeable in this important area of our service however, the recording of this was inadequate.

“We are correcting this shortcoming and look forward to CQC returning to re-inspect.

“Our priority is always to do all that is possible and necessary to ensure our clients receive safe care.”