Caremark Northampton

On this page

• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

Caring – this means we looked for evidence that the service involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect. This is the first inspection for this service. This key question has been rated good.  This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their 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 service always treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. For example, staff downloaded armchair exercises on the television for 1 person as their relative had mentioned this was something they wanted to do. The carer then supported the person to do some of the exercises during their visits. A person’s relative told us, “[Person] looks forward to their visits as they (staff) have the right approach, greeting [person] in a friendly way.” Another relative said, “[Person’s] privacy is always maintained, when caring for [person] in the bedroom, they (staff) will always shut the door and close the curtains.”

The service treated people as individuals and made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. They took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.  People and their relatives told us staff took time to speak with people during care visits and communicated effectively. A relative told us, “[Person] has 3 visits a day from carers who take their time, listen to [person’s] needs, go the extra mile with their duties, assist [person] in maintaining community links.” Another relative said, “Both [person] and the family have found all the care givers to be friendly, approachable and very helpful often going above what we would expect of them”.

The service promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.  People’s care plans detailed what people could do for themselves and where they required support from staff. Staff supported people to remain as independent as possible. A relative said, “They maintain his privacy and encourage his independence as he showers himself, they help dry him – but he dresses himself”. Another relative said, “They (staff) give [person] choices and allow her to be as independent as possible.”

The service listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. Staff respond to people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress.  People were supported by staff that were familiar to them which enabled staff to anticipate and meet people’s needs quickly and in ways that reduced and mitigated people’s discomfort and distress. 

The service cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff, and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care.  A staff member told us, “I love going to work, if anything needs amending it is done promptly and I feel like I am really listened to, appreciated and supported. I have been nominated for awards and regularly praised and thanked.” Another staff member said, “I feel valued, and l am working as part of the team. I feel respected and I feel supported too. Each time I need help, l always get it when l ask for it.”