Archived: Caremark (Maidstone)

Updated 14 November 2017

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 28 September 2017 and was announced. The inspection team consisted of an inspector and an expert by experience, who made calls to people using the service and/or their relatives. An expert by experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Before the inspection, we would usually ask the provider to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the agency, what the agency does well and improvements they plan to make. We did not request the PIR from the provider, this information and evidence was gathered during the inspection. We also looked at notifications about important events that had taken place at the service, which the provider is required to tell us by law.

We spoke with three people, who were receiving support from the agency, to gain their views. We spoke with the director, the manager, the care coordinator and a care worker.

We spent time looking at records, policies and procedures, complaints and incident and accident monitoring systems, internal audits and the annual survey. We looked at three peoples care files, three staff files, the staff training programme and induction programme.

Updated 14 November 2017

We inspected this service on 28 September 2017. The inspection was announced. The provider was given two working days’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure that someone would be available at the locations office to see us.

Caremark (Maidstone) is a care agency that provides personal care, companionship, domestic calls and support to people living in their own homes. The range of needs the service can meet includes the needs of older people, people with physical disabilities, people with mental health needs and people living with dementia. The agency had recently started supporting people who had been discharged from hospital with a Miami J Collar (neck collar).

This was the first comprehensive inspection since the agency was registered at the new address. There were four people using the service who were receiving personal care at the time of the inspection.

At the time of our inspection, there was a manager in place who had applied to become the registered manager. The manager was supported by the director who was also the owner of this branch and a care coordinator. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People received a service that was safe and told us they felt safe. Staff and the management team had received training about protecting people from abuse, and they knew what action to take if they suspected abuse. Systems were in place to monitor and review any safeguarding concerns by a member of the management team. The safety of staff who were working out in the community had been assessed with systems put into place to reduce the risk to staff. Risks to people’s safety had been assessed and recorded with measures put into place to manage any hazards identified. A system was in place for the event of an emergency to ensure people continued to receive their care and support.

There were sufficient numbers of skilled and competent staff to meet people's needs. Staff received the appropriate training to fulfil their role and provide the appropriate support. Staff were supported by the manager and the management team who they saw on a regular basis. A comprehensive induction programme was in place which all new staff completed. Staff had a clear understanding of their roles and people’s needs. Recruitment practices were safe and checks were carried out to make sure staff were suitable to work with people who needed care and support.

Staff had the information and guidance regarding people’s care and support needs and had the skills and knowledge to meet them. People received consistent support from the same group of staff who knew them well. People were offered the opportunity to meet their potential staff and were involved in their recruitment. People’s needs had been assessed to identify the care and support they required. People received a responsive, flexible and person centred service. Care and support was planned with people and/or their relatives and reviewed to make sure people continued to have the support they needed. Detailed guidance was provided to staff within a care plan, kept in the person’s home about how to provide all areas of the care and support people needed.

Where staff were involved in assisting people to manage their medicines, they did so safely. Policies and procedures were in place for the safe administration of medicines and staff had been trained to administer medicines safely.

People were treated with dignity and respect whilst receiving care and support from the agency. Staff understood the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and people and/or their relatives said they were always asked their consent before any care or support tasks were carried out. Information about people’s likes, dislikes and personal histories were recorded within their care plan. People's views about the quality and safety of the service they received were sought through a range of means. Feedback provided by people was consistently used to improve the service.

People were supported to remain as healthy as possible. Guidance was available within peoples support plans to inform the staff of any specific health condition. People were encouraged to maintain as much independence as possible. People’s nutrition and hydration had been considered and recorded, with guidance in place for staff to follow.