Archived: Caremark Swindon

Updated 15 January 2025

Date of assessment: 16 January 2025 to 3 February 2025. We assessed the service due to concerns received about a lack of knowledge and support from leaders, unsafe management of medicines, and poor quality of staff training. The service had not previously been inspected. We assessed 33 quality statements in the safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led domains. The service was being overseen by the nominated individual as there was no registered manager at the time of our assessment. We found people’s risks were not being managed safely. Staff had not been equipped with all training relevant to their role, which put people at risk of receiving unsafe care. People’s care and support records did not contain enough information to ensure people were supported safely and to provide person-centered care. People’s medicines were not managed safely, and staff had not received adequate training to safely support people with medicines. The nominated individual did not have the skills, experience and knowledge to oversee the service safely, and there was a lack of oversight at the service. Systems were not in place to ensure people had accurate, complete and contemporaneous records. Systems and processes to ensure people received safe care were not always effective. Staff told us they did not feel supported by the nominated individual but felt supported by their supervisor. Staff felt they had not received adequate training before supporting people. We identified 5 breaches of the legal regulations in relation to safe care and treatment, person-centred care, staffing, good governance, and the nominated individual being a fit and proper person for the role of director. During the assessment, the nominated individual informed us they were closing the service, and the service formally closed as of 31 January 2025.

Updated 15 January 2025

While the people we spoke to expressed that they were generally happy with their care, our assessment found elements of care did not meet the expected standards. People were aware of their care plans and told us assessments took place prior to care being delivered. People described staff as kind and caring. Relatives described how staff treated people with dignity and respect, whilst encouraging independence. Relatives told us how staff worked well with healthcare professionals, and felt people’s health needs were being effectively monitored. People and their relatives felt the service was safe. However, one person told us that staff were late to calls and that calls had also been missed. Another relative told us, “Staff are leaving and not being replaced - there are certainly not enough. I was once left without care for one day.”