Caremark Kensington

On this page

• Overview
• Person-centred Care
• Care provision, Integration and continuity
• Providing Information
• Listening to and involving people
• Equity in access
• Equity in experiences and outcomes
• Planning for the future

Responsive – this means we looked for evidence that the provider met people’s needs.

At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good. This meant people’s needs were met through good organisation and delivery.

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 were at the centre of their care and treatment choices and they decided, in partnership with people, how to respond to any relevant changes in people’s needs.

Staff told us they recognised people as individuals, who each had their specific support needs. A member of staff said, “Clients can make changes and choices. Some of them choose times but, if they don’t work, I call the office and the times can be changed.” Another member of staff told us, “Each care plan is specific to the client’s needs. They choose the times of care and whether they want a male or female care worker.”

People told us the care and support they received was personal to them. They said they had regular care staff, who knew them and their needs very well. A person who used the service told us how they enjoyed the company of their regular care staff. They said one person in particular had been allocated to them because they shared their passion for sport. The person said this meant a lot to them, because they had once been a very active sportsperson.

The provider understood the diverse health and care needs of people and their local communities, so care was joined-up, flexible and supported choice and continuity.

People and their representatives told us staff worked well to ensure people received flexible support to meet their needs and contacted other services when required. A person who used the service told us they were familiar with the role of the CQC, as they were a representative for people with disabilities. The person explained how a relative was their main carer, with staff from Caremark Kensington providing ongoing backup support. This person spoke positively about the ‘holistic’ approach of the agency and the way they respected them as a ‘whole person’. The person added that they liked the co-production, with clients having a say in their care.

Staff told us they followed people’s care plans but also ensured flexibility so people could make different choices during care visits if they wanted.

The provider supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs.

Staff told us they made sure people had their communication needs assessed, and information was available to people in different formats if this was needed, such as large print, easy read, audio or other languages.

People and their representatives told us the service and the care staff were generally very good at sharing information verbally and keeping them up to date with things. However, some people said they would like to have copies of their care plans, risk assessments and daily notes but copies from the electronic records had not been printed off for them. People said this was not a major problem, because they knew what the care staff should be doing and they carried out their duties as required.

The provider made it easy for people to share feedback and ideas, or raise complaints about their care, treatment and support. Staff involved people in decisions about their care and told them what had changed as a result.

People and their representatives told us they knew who to contact if they had any concerns or wanted to make a complaint. They told us the registered manager investigated and resolved their complaints satisfactorily. A person who used the service told us there had been an instance where they had an issue with a carer. They reported this to the agency and they took immediate action, so the carer in question did not come again.

The service had systems and processes to help ensure people knew how to give feedback about their care and support, including how to raise any concerns or issues. A person’s representative told us there had been a few issues in the beginning, but said they soon got ‘ironed out’. The person described the service as ‘pro-active’ and said that if they had any issues, they knew they would be logged and quickly resolved.

The provider made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it.

Staff supported people to access other health and social care services when required, including assisting them with health care appointments and calling emergency services if required.

A person’s representative told us how the care staff had helped their relative to enhance their confidence and now supported them to access different things in the community. They told us their relative looked forward to the outings and had started forming their own ideas about places they would like to go to, such as the London Eye. They also told us, “[Name]’s level of independence has much improved, as has [their] understanding of keeping [themselves] safe.”

Staff and leaders actively listened to information about people who are most likely to experience inequality in experience or outcomes and tailored their care, support and treatment in response to this.

People and their representatives told us they felt they were treated fairly and supported in accordance with their individual needs and wishes. Nobody had experienced any discrimination or inequality. People told us the care workers helped them access external resources when they needed them, so they could live their lives as they chose, without discrimination. A person using the service told us that, due to health problems, they needed support to be able to get out safely with their walker or wheelchair. They told us the care staff assisted them to go out for walks, as well as some aspects of personal care, such as having a shower and getting dressed. All of which, they said, enhanced their quality of life and added they were, “Very satisfied with Caremark Kensington and can’t fault them.” A person’s representative told us how their relative had developed an interest in baking. To ensure the person had the outcome they desired, care staff supported them to go shopping to buy ingredients and then they would do the baking together.

People were supported to plan for important life changes, so they could have enough time to make informed decisions about their future, including at the end of their life.

Staff did not complete specific in-house training for end-of-life care but they told us that, as and when needed, they worked closely with the person, their families, GPs and other palliative care professionals. Staff said they respected people’s individual wishes and adhered to training and guidance provided by other professionals. A member of staff told us it was important to, “Promote dignity. At the end of their lives that’s all [people] have. Be caring and give people choices and as much independence as possible.”

We saw that people using the service had opportunities to discuss their future wishes and, where people chose to do this, the information was recorded in their care plans.