Background to this inspection
Updated
26 October 2019
The inspection
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
Inspection team
Two inspectors carried out this inspection.
Service and service type
Caremark Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.
Notice of inspection
We told the provider four days before our office visit that we would be inspecting. We did this because we wanted to contact people for feedback on the service provided before we visited the office. We also wanted to make sure that the nominated individual or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
Inspection activity started on 12 September 2019 and ended on 26 September 2019. We visited the office location on 13 September 2019.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since registration with the CQC. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service.
The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke over the telephone with six people who used the service about their experience of the care provided. We received emails about the quality of the service from two relatives, one person who used the service and four external care professionals. During the inspection process we spoke with three care staff over the telephone.
During our visit to the service office we spoke with the care coordinator, the registered manager and the nominated individual. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.
We reviewed a range of records. This included sampling six people’s care records. We looked at four staff files in relation to recruitment, training and staff supervision. We also looked at a variety of records relating to the management of the service, including audits and quality assurance reports and minutes of staff meetings.
Updated
26 October 2019
About the service:
Caremark Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire provides personal care to people living in their own homes.
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 received their medicines from staff who had been trained and competent to administer them. However, records were not always clear as to the level of support people needed to take their medicines. Senior staff had not always carried out robust and thorough audits to identify these shortfalls., However the registered manager took immediate action to review all care plans and audits.
People were protected from avoidable harm by a staff team trained to recognise and report any concerns. Staff followed the provider’s procedures to prevent the spread of infection and reduce the risk of cross contamination.
People were happy with the service and the staff who provided their care. People felt that staff knew them well and understood their needs. People had person centred care plans and had been involved in making decisions about their care.
Systems were in place to deal with any concerns or complaints. People told us that they knew how to complain, and who to talk to if they weren’t happy.
People liked the staff that cared for them. People told us that staff were nice, and respectful, and they only had good things to say about them. One person told us that it was like seeing a friend rather than a carer.
The service had systems in place to make sure they only employed staff once they had checked they were suitable to work with people who used the service. There were enough staff to meet people’s needs safely. People received care from staff who were trained and well supported to meet people’s assessed needs.
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.
Systems to monitor how well the service was running were carried out, which included asking people and staff for their views. Changes were made where issues had occurred.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
This service was registered with us on 27 September 2018 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the date of the provider’s registrations with the CQC.
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.