Caremark Northampton

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 service met people’s needs. This is the first inspection for this service. This key question has been rated good. This meant people’s needs were met through good organisation and delivery. 

This service scored 71 (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 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. However, this was not always reflected in people’s care plans to ensure staff had all the information they needed to provide person centred care. The registered manager had already identified further work was needed to ensure people’s care plans were updated to include people’s preferences and health conditions. People and their relatives told us the service responded to people’s change of needs. A relative said, “The care plan has changed over the years quite considerably. Her needs are constantly changing and it is always addressed by them. I can always access the care plan if needed”

The service understood the diverse health and care needs of people and their local communities, so care was joined-up, flexible and supported choice and continuity. Care staff were introduced to people before they started providing care and support for them to understand people’s individual health and care needs. People received care and support from a group of the same care staff which enabled continuity.

The service supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs. The registered manager and provider understood the requirements of the Accessible Information Standard. The registered manager told us information would be made available to people, if required, in different formats to support people’s understanding. For example, the service was able to provide information in Braille, for people who are visually impaired.

The service made it easy for people to share feedback and ideas, or raise complaints about their care, treatment and support. They involved people in decisions about their care and told them what had changed as a result. The service had a system in place to seek feedback from people and their loved ones. A relative told us, “Anytime I have requests or suggestions the office team quickly respond and deal directly with me” Another relative said, “If I have to contact the office to change something or add a duty then they get straight back to me and communicate with the carers to make it happen.”

The service made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it.  People and their relatives gave us positive feedback about the communication they received from the service. The service had an out of hours system in place to ensure people could always access support.

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 relatives did not report any concerns in relation to any experience of discrimination and inequality from the service. Reasonable adjustments were in place, such as mobility aids, which supported people’s experience and outcomes.

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. People were supported to identify their wishes for future and end of life care. Where people or their relatives did not want to discuss this with the service, this was respected. Where wishes for future care had been discussed, this needed to be detailed within people’s care and support plans to ensure their wishes were recorded should people move between alternative healthcare providers, if necessary.