Caremark North Norfolk & Great Yarmouth

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.

This is the first assessment for this newly registered service. This key question has been rated Good. This meant the service was consistently managed and well-led. Leaders and the culture they created promoted high-quality, person-centred care.

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 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.

The management team and staff prided themselves on consistently providing good outcomes for people. The provider and management team were selective with their recruitment and it was a requirement that staff would embrace the provider’s values. As a result, people using the service, their representatives and staff gave very positive feedback about the quality of the service, the staff and the overall culture.

A person told us, “I've had many care agencies spread over [many] years and, at this stage, this is the most satisfying service I've had.” When asked if they thought the service was well-led, they responded, “Wholeheartedly, yes!”

People’s representatives made comments such as, “This was my first interaction with the care system and I have found Caremark to be extremely helpful.” “I would have no hesitation in recommending them to anyone and am confident that they provide excellent care and support to my [Relative].” And, “The company is new, but it is well-led. They have some good quality staff and my [Relative] is settled with them.”

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 provider and registered manager understood their responsibilities relating to the duty of candour. They were open and transparent and were committed to providing the best support possible.

The provider was also actively involved in the day-to-day running of the service and worked effectively with the management team and staff to develop new initiatives, which were designed to meet people’s needs.

A person told us, “I feel completely supported; both by carers and managers.” A person’s representative told us, they had been fully involved in the recruitment of their relative’s care staff when starting out with Caremark. This person explained they had interviewed another care company and the difference with Caremark’s quality of care was clear from the beginning. They said, “The Caremark managers asked [Relative] what [they] would like in the way of care planning, whereas the other company spoke around [Relative] and not directly to them. The other company was more about ‘facts and figures’, whereas Caremark genuinely seemed to be more about [Relative] and how they could accommodate [their] wishes and what [Relative] wanted from the care.”

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard.

Staff told us they were comfortable speaking up and felt their views and opinions would be listened to and respected. They understood the whistleblowing policy and procedures and knew how to escalate their concerns should they need to.

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 service promoted an inclusive working environment where staff felt respected, valued, and supported in their roles. Feedback from staff reflected a positive culture in which individuality was recognised and contributions were appreciated.

The provider and management team fostered a culture of fairness and inclusion, which ensured staff were treated equally and had access to the support they needed to carry out their roles effectively. Open communication and supportive management helped to create an environment where staff felt able to be themselves and contribute to the ongoing development of the service.

The provider had clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability and good governance. They used these to manage and deliver good quality, sustainable care, treatment and support. They acted on the best information about risk, performance and outcomes, and shared this securely with others when appropriate.

The provider and management team had established a culture of continuous improvement and learning, supported by effective governance systems to monitor, assess, and continually improve the quality and sustainability of the service. This ensured the service remained sustainable, responsive, and consistently delivered high-quality, person-centred care.

A comprehensive programme of audits was used to provide robust oversight, which reviewed the quality of the whole service. The provider and management team also carried out regular quality assurance visits and spot checks during care visits. These provided further opportunities for people using the service to share any issues or concerns they had with their support. It also provided opportunities for the management team to observe the relationships between staff and people receiving care and support.

Overall, there was strong oversight and accountability throughout the service. The active involvement of the provider, alongside the registered manager, in quality assurance processes, supported consistent standards and demonstrated a clear commitment to maintaining high-quality care. Findings from audits were used constructively to drive improvement and sustain positive outcomes for people.

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 provider also shared information with us that evidenced their commitment and dedication to supporting the local communities, as well as people who directly used their service.

For example, they sponsored a local football team and a local carnival. They also held and participated in fundraising events to support other services and people in need. In addition, the service worked in collaboration with a local funeral company and a company who provided people with later-life guidance, wellbeing assessments and helped them understand care options.

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 provider, management team and staff demonstrated a commitment to learning, innovation and continuous improvement.

There was evidence of reflective practice within the service. The provider and management team regularly analysed the care and support provided, identifying what worked well and where improvements could be made. Learning from experience was becoming embedded into practice, enabling the service to continuously refine and enhance the care delivered. This strong focus on learning and innovation helped ensure the service remained forward-thinking, responsive, and committed to delivering consistently high standards of personalised care.