A RESIDENTIAL centre for adults with autism has received a formal warning following a damning report by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

The Maples, which cares for 16 adults with autism or Asperger’s syndrome, failed four of the five criteria when inspectors from the health and social care regulator swooped on the centre in Tokers Green in September.

But The Disabilities Trust, which runs the centre, insisted tonight that the inspectors’ visit coincided with the completion of a major facelift.

The inspectors’ report found the centre had insufficient qualified and experienced staff, patients’ privacy and dignity were not always respected and care did not always meet their needs and records were not appropriately accurate. But the CQC reserved a formal warning for the Maples’ sub-standard self-assessment system.

The report said the system, allowing patients to rate their care, was unsatisfactory, with feedback not being properly assessed and managers being left out of the loop.

It added: “The provider did not protect service users against the risks of inappropriate or unsafe care and treatment, because they did not regularly assess and monitor the quality of the services provided.

“People who use the service were not being supported to express their views about their experience of the care provided.”

The centre was re-opened last September by the Disabilities Trust's patron and TV sports presenter Gabby Logan who unveiled new state-of-the-art facilities for the residents.

The CQC has given the Maples until Wednesday, January 22, to improve, but the trust’s head of marketing Helen Tridgell insisted that standards had been met within three weeks of the inspection.

She said the lapse stemmed from the confusion caused by the refurbishment of the centre and as soon as the residents had been re-housed, standards had returned to normal. She added: “We accept the CQC’s judgement that some of the records at the Maples had not been kept up-dated.

“Our main concern is absolutely the support of the people who are within our service and there was no major impact to their care.”