Caremark (Barnsley)

On this page

• Overview
• Shared direction and culture
• Capable, compassionate and inclusive leaders
• Freedom to speak up
• Workforce equality, diversity and inclusion
• Governance, management and sustainability
• Partnerships and communities
• Learning, improvement and innovation

Well-led – this means we looked for evidence that service leadership, management and governance assured high-quality, person-centred care; supported learning and innovation; and promoted an open, fair culture.

At our last assessment we rated this key question requires improvement. At this assessment the rating has changed to good. This meant the service was consistently managed and well-led. Leaders and the culture they created promoted high-quality, person-centred care.

The service was in breach of legal regulation in relation to failure to notify us of significant events. At this assessment, enough improvements had been made, and the service was no longer in breach of regulations.

This service scored 71 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The provider had a shared vision, strategy and culture. This was based on transparency, equity, equality and human rights, diversity and inclusion, engagement, and understanding challenges and the needs of people and their communities. There was a positive culture amongst the staff and leadership team. The registered manager had implemented systems to improve staff engagement, culture and well-being. Staff told us there was a positive culture amongst the team. Comments included, “I have loved working for Caremark.” And “Staff morale is positive, with a supportive team culture and effective collaboration.” There were clear visions and values, which were included in staff handbooks and staff meetings. These included providing high quality and outstanding home care, improving lives, enabling people to flourish and enjoy life, living safely, happily, and as independently as possible in their own homes.

The provider had inclusive leaders at all levels who understood the context in which they delivered care, treatment and support and embodied the culture and values of their workforce and organisation. Leaders had the skills, knowledge, experience and credibility to lead effectively. They did so with integrity, openness and honesty. The leadership team were passionate about their roles and driving improvements in the service. People, relatives and staff spoke highly about the leadership team and told us the service was well led. A relative said, “It has got to be excellent (leadership) as they are brilliant.” A staff member said, “The manager is fair. The morale is good; we work together as a team.” The providers supported the registered manager in their role and an internal quality management undertook regular quality and compliance audits. Compliments and reviews received about the service showed positive feedback from people.

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard. There were clear whistle blowing procedures in place and staff told us they could raise any concerns or suggestions, and they would be taken seriously. A staff member said, “I would report any signs of abuse, neglect, or anything that compromises a person’s safety or wellbeing. I would follow our safeguarding procedure, documenting the concern and informing my manager or the safeguarding lead immediately.” Staff were involved in regular meetings, which included information about key topics, such as safeguarding concerns, accidents and incidents and medicines management. A staff member said, “I attend staff meetings every 3 months, I find them useful. We are dedicated to providing quality care.”

The provider valued diversity in their workforce. They worked towards an inclusive and fair culture by improving equality and equity for people who worked for them. The leadership team were dedicated to promoting equality and diversity for all the staff team. Information about equality was displayed in staff areas and coffee mornings were being introduced, to celebrate different cultures and share information about different cultures and how this would best be applied to the people they supported. Staff were involved in feedback surveys and records evidenced positive outcomes for staff, such as providing snacks for staff in the office area.

Audit systems required some improvements. We identified concerns in relation to managing risk and care records, medication records and overdue audits. However, this had been recognised through the quality monitoring of the service and was currently being worked on as part of an ongoing action plan. The registered manager attended regular manager meetings, which shared best practice ideas and lessons learned across the providers other services. Staff received regular spot checks to monitor their adherence with policies and procedures, including moving and handling, IPC and medicines administration.

The provider understood their duty to collaborate and work in partnership, so services worked seamlessly for people. They shared information and learning with partners and collaborated for improvement. The service worked closely with external professionals and community services to ensure people's needs were met. The service had recently undergone a contract monitoring visit, with good compliance. Partners gave us positive feedback about the service, and we found positive reviews given about the service. People and relatives were happy with the care they received. A relative said, “It is very safe, staff are attentive. They are good to [name].” A staff member said, “It’s a great environment to work in. I enjoy making a positive impact in people’s lives. We are kept updated through shift handovers, care plan reviews, and direct communication from managers. New clients are introduced with detailed information about their background, preferences, and care needs.”

The provider focused on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across the organisation and local system. They encouraged creative ways of delivering equality of experience, outcome and quality of life for people. They actively contributed to safe, effective practice and research. The leadership team were open and honest with us throughout the inspection, were receptive and took action in response to our feedback. An ongoing service improvement plan was in place and the leadership team were passionate about driving improvements in the safety and quality of the care provided.