A watchdog inspecting an elderly care provider has raised safety concerns over regulation breaches and "an increased risk people could be harmed".

Hope Care Support, based in Stevenage's Bessemer Drive, provides services to help elderly people remain in their own homes for as long as possible, including help with personal hygiene and meals.

An inspection by the Care Quality Commission was carried out in May to check the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

A report now published by the CQC says: "We identified breaches in relation to staff recruitment processes, staff support, supervision and training arrangements, and the lack of management oversight, quality assurance processes and poor record keeping."

The watchdog says all areas of the service inspected require improvement.

It says Hope Care Support had not undertaken all the required checks to support safe recruitment of staff, did not have a robust staff training programme to ensure all staff met the required standard, and did not ensure all staff were skilled and competent to undertake their role safely and effectively.

The CQC says: "Some aspects of the service were not always safe and there was limited assurance about safety. There was an increased risk that people could be harmed.

"The provider did not have an effective system to monitor and assess the quality and safety of the service people received.

"Record keeping in areas such as recruitment, care planning, risk management, staff support and supervision was not robust and did not support the delivery of safe and effective care."

Inspectors did find clients were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives, and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests.

Care workers also undertook some tasks above and beyond the basic care commissioned, such as collecting prescriptions when there were delays with chemist deliveries.

The CQC says it will discuss changes with the provider to ensure at least a good rating, and will work with the local authority to monitor progress.

Hope Care Support has been contacted for comment.