Caremark North Norfolk & Great Yarmouth

On this page

• Overview
• Assessing needs
• Delivering evidence-based care and treatment
• How staff, teams and services work together
• Supporting people to live healthier lives
• Monitoring and improving outcomes
• Consent to care and treatment

Effective – this means we looked for evidence that people’s care, treatment and support achieved good outcomes and promoted a good quality of life, based on best available evidence.

This is the first assessment for this newly registered service. This key question has been rated Good. This meant people’s outcomes were consistently good, and people’s feedback confirmed this.

This service scored 75 (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 made sure people’s care and treatment was effective by assessing and reviewing their health, care, wellbeing and communication needs with them.

The management team completed thorough person‑centred assessments with people to ensure their needs were fully understood, and could be met, before they started using the service. The management team and care staff continually worked closely with people, their representatives and, where applicable, relevant health and social care professionals to build up a complete picture of each person’s individual needs and preferences. This helped ensure that care was tailored to what mattered most to them.

A person using the service told us they were fully involved in all aspects of their care plan and the support they received.

A person’s representative explained, “They have a great deal of empathy for the whole family and have been very helpful in helping us set up a suitable care package for [relative].

Information from people’s assessments was used to compile individual care plans, which clearly documented people’s needs and explained how they should be supported to have those needs met. We saw information included areas such as communication, health conditions, medicines management, nutrition and hydration, continence and mobility. This ensured staff had comprehensive and accessible information to provide safe, effective, and personalised care.

People and their representatives also told us that care plans were reviewed regularly and changes were made as soon as they were needed.

The provider planned and delivered people’s care and treatment with them, including what was important and mattered to them. They did this in line with legislation and current evidence-based good practice and standards.

The management team worked hard to ensure the service stayed up to date with best practice and delivered care and support in line with recommended guidance and recognised tools.

People’s care plans included reference to best practice guidance and staff received regular training to ensure their knowledge and skills remained up to date.

Staff spoke positively about the standards of the service and the delivery of support.

The provider worked well across teams and services to support people. They made sure people only needed to tell their story once by sharing their assessment of needs when people moved between different services.

The management team and care staff worked effectively in partnership with other healthcare professionals as and when needed, to ensure people received consistent and coordinated care and support.

Staff told us they felt confident about supporting people with their individual care needs. A member of staff told us, “It can be nerve racking visiting new customers but very often the field care supervisor will come out and do an introduction.”

Collaborative working across services enabled people to have access to safe and effective care which respected their wishes and reflected what was important to them. Staff told us they worked well together, to provide a seamless service to people and said they enjoyed working as part of a team.

The provider supported people to manage their health and wellbeing to maximise their independence, choice and control. Staff supported people to live healthier lives and where possible, reduce their future needs for care and support.

Staff knew the people they supported well and were quick to identify if people required additional support from healthcare professionals. People and their representatives told us that staff were observant and aware of people’s health and wellbeing.

Staff were knowledgeable and understood people’s nutritional needs and supported them to have a healthy balanced diet.

A person’s representative told us that [Person] needed a gluten free diet and the care staff ensured they accommodated this. This representative also told us that there were times when [Person] may have chosen the wrong clothing for the time of year, but staff would gently persuade them to dress appropriately.

Care staff also recognised the value and health benefits of companionship, human contact and making people happy. Another person’s representative told us, “[Staff member] will take part in [Relative]’s medication reviews and record everything online. [Staff] will give [Relative] choices of what [Relative] cooks, keeping it healthy. [Staff] take [Relative] for a walk and even go down to the village to get food shopping.”

The provider routinely monitored people’s care and treatment to continuously improve it. They ensured that outcomes were positive and consistent, and that they met both clinical expectations and the expectations of people themselves.

The service had effective systems in place to monitor, review, and improve outcomes for people. There was clear evidence that people’s needs were regularly reviewed, both as part of scheduled reviews and in response to any changes in their circumstances. These reviews helped ensure care remained relevant and person‑centred.

A person’s representative told us, “My [Relative] had been given a poor prognosis and we were expecting the worst, but since Caremark intervened with [their] care [Relative] has improved and we have worked well together. We are on top of things.”

The provider told people about their rights around consent and respected these when delivering person-centred care and treatment.

The provider met the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). People told us that staff involved them in all aspects of their daily care, asked for their consent and respected their choices. Staff were knowledgeable about the principles of the MCA and people told us they always obtained their consent before doing anything for them.

Where needed, mental capacity assessments were completed for people. When people lacked the mental capacity to make certain decisions, staff would meet with relevant and authorised people, to ensure any decisions made, were in the person’s best interests. People’s care records were clear about the decisions people had and did not have capacity to make or consent to.

The provider explained how a person had mental capacity and consented to their care and support. However, they had chosen not to sign documents in this regard. They told us, “From our perspective, it would not be appropriate to withdraw necessary care from a vulnerable person simply because they will not sign paperwork, particularly where they are clearly expressing that they are happy for the care to continue. We have therefore documented this as clearly as possible and continue to work with the person and their representative.”