Archived: Caremark (Harrogate)

Updated 9 October 2015

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.

The inspection of Care Mark (Harrogate) took place on 14 May 2015. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure that the staff would be available to speak with us.

Before the inspection visit we reviewed the information we held about the service, which included notifications submitted by the provider and spoke with the local authority contracts and safeguarding teams and with Healthwatch. This organisation represents the views of local people in how their health and social care services are provided.

The inspection team consisted of one inspector and one expert by experience who supported the inspection by carrying out telephone interviews to seek the views and experiences of people using the service. An expert by experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service and had expertise in adult health and social care.

Before we visited we asked the provider to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR). The PIR is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We asked for and received a list of names of people who received a personal care services so that we could contact them and seek their views.

During our visit to the agency we spoke with the provider, the registered manager, deputy manager, care coordinator, supervisor and four care staff. We spoke with two people who used the service and one relative. We reviewed the records for four people who used the service and staff recruitment and training files for three staff. We checked management records including staff rotas, staff meeting minutes, quality assurance visits, annual surveys, the staff handbook and the Statement of Purpose. We also looked at a sample of policies and procedures including the complaints policy and the medicines policy.

Updated 9 October 2015

The inspection was carried out on 14 May 2015. We gave the provider 48 hours’ notice of the inspection in order to ensure people we needed to speak with were available.

At our last inspection on 8 April 2013 the provider was meeting the regulations that were assessed.

We received positive feedback from people who received care and support from the agency. People told us they felt safe in the way staff supported them and had confidence in the staff.

Care and support was provided to people in their own home on a flexible basis and in accordance with individual needs. Risks to people’s safety and welfare had been assessed and information about how to support people to manage risks was recorded in people's care plan.

Recruitment checks were in place. These checks were undertaken to make sure staff were suitable to work with vulnerable people. The training programme provided staff with the knowledge and skills to support people. We saw systems were in place to provide staff support. This included staff meetings, supervisions and an annual appraisal. The agency had a whistleblowing policy, which was available to staff. Staff told us they would feel confident using it and that the appropriate action would be taken.

Where people needed assistance taking their medication this was administered in a timely way by staff who had been trained to carry out this role.

Staff liaised with healthcare professionals at the appropriate time to help monitor and maintain people’s health and wellbeing. People were provided with care and support according to their assessed need.

People gave consent to their plan of care and were involved in making decisions around their support. People’s plan of care was subject to review to meet their changing needs. Staff told us they felt well informed about people’s needs and how to meet them.

Policies and procedures were in place covering the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA), which aims to protect people who may not have the capacity to make decisions for themselves. The Mental Capacity Act 2005 sets out what must be done to make sure that the human rights of people who may lack mental capacity to make decisions are protected, including balancing autonomy and protection in relation to consent or refusal of care or treatment. Staff had received training in this subject.

We saw new staff had received a comprehensive induction and training at the beginning of their employment, this included all mandatory health and safety training. Staff received ongoing training and supervision to support them in their roles.

People told us they received good care. Staff were described as kind and considerate and people told us that they were treated with dignity and respect. Most people told us they were involved in discussions and reviews of their care packages. People told us that they received a person centred service. They said they received a weekly schedule of who would be visiting and that where possible care was delivered by the same core team of carers.

Staff we spoke with told us how much they enjoyed working for the service and were committed to providing an excellent service for people.

People said they were confident in raising concerns. Each person was given a copy of the complaints procedures.

Systems and processes were in place to monitor the service and drive forward improvements. This included internal audits and also the provider had franchise audits which provided positive feedback about the service.