A care firm in South London where staff turned up three hours late to visits has been told to improve by the care watchdog in a damning report.

Inspectors were also told by one patient at Winsor Care Services in New Malden that they weren’t being washed properly by rushing staff.

Inspectors at the Care Quality Commission (CQC) found evidence of nine rules being broken by the care firm after services were checked on June 8.

The agency was rated “requires improvement” overall and “inadequate” in one category.

Records showed staff were often more than an hour late, and sometimes even three hours late, for most scheduled visits.

Inspectors said staff often did not stay for the amount of time set, while some patients said they never knew who would be arriving or when.

One patient said:  “Timings are all over the place. I have a dosette box and the timing of visits affects when I take medication.”

Another said: “I would like to know when any new carers will be coming… The timing is thrown and gaps between care might be too long.

"It happens approximately every other Saturday… One weekend the two people who came were both new.”

Another said: “[Staff] only spend 20 minutes with me and it should be 30. I am being rushed and not washed properly.”

One family member told inspectors her relative was “given medication by her carers, but they don’t know her at all. I’m only here for a few weeks since she had her [ condition] and [staff] are asking me what medication she has to take.”

The report said: “We identified nine breaches in relation to person-centred care, safe care and treatment, governance systems, staffing, employment and Duty of Candour.

"This was because the provider had failed to ensure they always consistently assessed people’s care needs related to potential risks and management of medicines.

“They had not appropriately recruited, monitored and supported staff on the job.

"The provider did not always operate their established governance systems effectively making sure action was taken to address the repeated incidents and to share information as necessary.”

But the report also found patients received respectful and compassionate care, with people saying their needs were well met.

Staff were described as “superb”, “marvellous”, “good at talking” and “friendly and capable”.

Inspectors were told staff treated patients with dignity and protected their privacy, with one worker saying: “We give choice when supporting, we lock the doors, give time in the toilet, close the windows.

"We dignify clients as much as possible. We let clients do what they can do for themselves.”

Winsor Care Services provides at-home care for elderly people across Kingston, Richmond and Surrey.

The agency, based on Kingston Road, was caring for 98 people at the time of the inspection.

It was rated “requires improvement” at a partial inspection in 2021.

The report found the provider had not followed targets it had set after the last inspection, meaning it had not taken immediate agreed measures to improve safety and poor care.

The CQC has requested an action plan from the agency and will monitor its progress.

Winsor Care Services has been contacted for comment.