We carried out a review of the data available to us about Caremark (Thanet) on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Caremark (Thanet), you can give feedback on this service.
Caremark Thanet is a domiciliary care service providing personal care to approximately 170 people at the time of the inspection. Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People told us they received a personalised service from staff who demonstrated a caring and compassionate approach to their role. People told us they were involved in writing and reviewing their care plans. Staff told us they had enough information about people’s support needs and preferences to provide them with care.
People were protected from avoidable harm and abuse by staff who knew how to identify and escalate concerns. Risks faced by people during care were identified with clear plans in place to mitigate them. We saw where people’s risks changed, staff knew what to do and reported any concerns. Care plans were updated in response to changes in people’s risks and circumstances.
People were supported to take medicines by trained staff. However, care plans did not contain enough information about the medicines people were prescribed to ensure staff had the information they needed. We have made a recommendation about medicines care plans. People were supported to access healthcare services and to ensure they followed the advice of healthcare professionals.
The service worked closely with local community groups to offer people additional access to community activities, social events and networks to reduce the risk of social isolation. Staff researched people’s background and culture to ensure they provided sensitive and appropriate support.
People were involved in delivering training to staff about their experience of using care services. Staff were recruited locally and the values of the organisation were embedded from the early stages of recruitment. Staff received the training and support they needed to perform their roles. Staff were encouraged to become specialists and support other staff with their learning.
People told us they were confident that any concerns they raised would be listened to. The provider made adjustments where necessary to ensure information was accessible to people.
The provider had introduced electronic care plans and call monitoring systems over the summer of 2019. They were still developing systems to ensure the call monitoring information was used effectively. We have made a recommendation about this area.
There was a clear vision and plan for the future of the service. Staff and people who used the service spoke highly of how the organisation was run. Audits were in place, but they did not always demonstrate that the quality of records had been reviewed. We have made a recommendation about this.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was Good (report published December 2016)
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.
Caremark (Thanet) provides personal care support for 75 people who live in their own homes.
There was a registered manager in post. 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.
Some incidents which met the criteria for referral or discussion with the local safeguarding authority had been investigated locally but not reported as required. People and staff had some concerns about staff continuity and communication within the company. The provider and the registered manager recognised the need for improvement in these areas.
People’s care was planned to meet their needs. Potential risks were identified and management plans were in place to guide staff on the best way to reduce the risks. Staff understood their role in protecting people from harm and poor care. There were recruitment procedures in place to ensure staff were suitable to work within a caring environment. People were supported with or given their prescribed medicines in a safe manner.
Staff had access to training to improve their knowledge of care and enhance their skills. Staff sought people’s consent before providing care and supported people when they needed help with their decision making.
People received kind and compassionate care. Staff supported people to maintain their dignity, independence and privacy. Staff gained information about what was important to people so that they could provide care which met their preferences.
People were provided with information about raising concerns or complaints and were happy to speak with staff about their worries. People were given opportunities to share their views of the service and action was taken to reflect their comments. There were audits in place to monitor the quality of the service to identify where improvements could be made.
We saw that people's consent was obtained where possible before care and treatment was undertaken. We observed that the care given was safe and appropriate and based on effective care planning and risk assessments. This meant that people's individual needs were met and preferences were taken into account.
People were protected from abuse and cared for in a safe and inclusive environment. We noted that staff were supported in delivering safe care. This meant that the care was of an appropriate standard. We also found that the provider had an effective system in place to regularly assess and monitor the quality of service that people received.