A BINGLEY-based home care service has been rated inadequate and placed into special measures by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

The health watchdog inspected Bronte Care Services in May, judging it to be inadequate in the safety and leadership categories and requires improvement in 'is the service effective? is the service caring? is the service responsive?' and inadequate overall.

It marks a fall for the service, which was rated as requires improvement last year.

A report from the inspection says: " At this inspection we found there were widespread and significant shortfalls in service leadership. Leaders and the culture they created did not assure the delivery of high-quality care. Some regulations were not met.

"People and their families did not feel the service was well led. Comments included: 'You ring them up and but they don't get back to you, it's not well managed, it could be better'. Feedback from staff about the management of the service was mixed.

"Staff did not always feel listened to or supported. One care worker told us 'this is the worst company I have ever known'. They also told us the registered provider had said to them 'CQC will be ringing you. Tell them I am **** so they can close me down and I can retire'."

The report says the previous two inspections identified concerns over call scheduling and a lack of travel time between calls - issues which remained a concern at this inspection. The report says: "Comments from people who used the service included 'lunchtime can be anytime between 12pm and 1.30pm'; 'I pay for a half hour of care but often they are not here that long. They are always in a rush and there is a large turnover of staff' and 'sometimes they are late, there are certain ones you know are not going to come on time'.

"A relative told us 'their timing is erratic to say the least, they are short staffed, there is no consistency'."

The report adds that the time people received their medicines varied because of the "inconsistent scheduling of their calls". One person told inspectors: "They haven't come at all today. So, I administered the medicines myself."

The report also says care workers were not always kind and caring to people, with one relative complaining about one care worker who they felt was "clever and arrogant".

However, some people did feel the staff were kind. The service was found to be in breach of three regulations and will be inspected again within six months. Bronte Care Services declined to comment.