We carried out a review of the data available to us about Caremark (Wandsworth) 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 (Wandsworth), you can give feedback on this service.
Caremark Wandsworth is a domiciliary care agency providing care and support to 40 people living in their own homes and flats. At the time of the inspection 23 people using the service were receiving personal care. Not everyone who used the service received personal care. The Care Quality Commission (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
A safe service was provided for people to use and staff to work in. There were enough appropriately recruited staff to meet people’s needs. This enabled people to enjoy their lives and live safely. The provider assessed and recorded risks to people and staff, and monitored and updated them as required. Accidents, incidents and safeguarding concerns were reported, investigated and recorded appropriately. Medicines were safely administered, and people prompted to take their medicines. Shielding and social distancing guidance was followed, and Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) used safely and effectively. There was an up to date infection prevention and control policy.
The provider’s culture was open, honest, and positive with transparent leadership and management. The statement of purpose clearly defined the provider’s vision and values. Staff understood and followed the vision and values and their responsibilities and accountability. They were prepared to take responsibility and raise any concerns they may have with the provider. Service quality was regularly reviewed and changes made to improve the care and support people received accordingly. This was in a way that best suited people. The provider established effective working partnerships that promoted the needs of people being met outside its remit to reduce social isolation. Registration requirements were met.
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was good (published 30 October 2018) and there were no breaches of regulations.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
CQC has introduced focused/targeted inspections to follow up on previous breaches and to check specific concerns. We undertook a focused inspection approach to review the key questions of Safe, and Well-led.
As no concerns were identified in relation to the key questions is the service Effective, Caring and Responsive, we decided not to inspect them. Ratings from the previous comprehensive inspections for those key questions were used in calculating the overall rating at this inspection.
The overall rating for the service remains good. This is based on the findings at this inspection.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Caremark (Wandsworth) on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
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.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
At the last inspection which took place on 9 February 2016, the service was rated Good.
At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in the community. There were 34 people using the service at the time of the inspection. The service supports people with a range of care needs including, people living with dementia, mental health needs, sensory impairment and physical disability.
There was a registered manager at the service. 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.
Feedback from people and their relatives was overwhelmingly positive. Care workers were praised for their caring and friendly attitude. People said they felt safe and at ease in the presence of care workers. They were reassured because they received regular care workers who were familiar with their needs. Many of the care workers had been employed for a long time and this helped to foster valued relationships with people.
Staff received comprehensive training which helped them in carrying out their duties appropriately. They supported people with their medicines, personal care and their general health and well-being. They completed records which demonstrated the care they had delivered. Quality assurance checks such as the competency of care workers and checking their record keeping were carried out on a regular basis which helped to maintain good practice.
Care plans were completed with the consent of people and their relatives. These were reviewed on a regular basis to ensure the people received the care that they needed.
There was an open culture at the service. incident report procedures were clear and care workers were familiar with them. People and their relatives were invited to provide feedback about the quality of service they received. When complaints were raised, the provider acted swiftly to investigate these. Action was taken to improve the service if needed.
The registered manager was aware of her responsibilities and the provider worked in partnership with other organisations to support the provision of care to people. We received positive feedback from health and social care professionals about the good working relationship they had with the service.
Caremark (Wandsworth) is part of a national franchise organisation, Caremark. It provides personal care for people in their own homes. Some of the people receiving support from the service include older people, some people with mental health, acquired brain injuries and some receiving end of life care. At the time of the inspection there were 17 people using the service.
There was a registered manager at the service. 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 and their relatives told us they were happy with the provider. They said that care workers were familiar with their needs, were kind, friendly and looked after them. Some gave us examples of when care workers went above and beyond their normal duties that demonstrated a caring attitude. They told us they felt safe in the presence of care workers.
Care workers underwent a thorough recruitment process which included checks on their work history, reference and criminal records checks. This helped to keep people safe. Care workers completed a thorough induction programme which lasted four days and completed the Care Certificate within three months of joining the service. They received regular supervision and ongoing training.
Care workers were knowledgeable about people’s life history and were familiar with their preferences in relation to a number of things, including their diet and their personal care needs. They knew about the importance of asking for consent when supporting people which helped to ensure that their rights were protected.
The provider completed thorough assessments before starting to care for people from which care plans were written. People using the service and their next of kin were involved in all aspects of their care and were consulted during care plan reviews. Care records were easy to read and were reviewed regularly.
There was a strong emphasis on quality assurance, with unannounced spot checks, care record audits and telephone monitoring taking place at regular intervals. People were asked for their views about the standard of care they received and also about the service they received from the provider. People said they had very few complaints but when they did, the provider listened to their concerns and acted to resolve them.
Although there had been some changes with the office based staff, people told us they received excellent care and they would not hesitate to recommend the provider to other people.