Caremark Kensington

Updated 20 October 2018

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.

Why we inspected- This was a routine inspection as the service had registered in December 2016. New services are inspected within 12 months of registration. In January 2018 we visited the service but were unable to carry out an inspection as the provider was not carrying out a regulated activity at the time. We maintained contact with the provider to monitor changes to their business. We did not have any information of concern about this service.

Prior to carrying out this inspection we reviewed information we held about the service, such as records of significant incidents that the provider is required to tell us about by law. We asked the provider to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a document which asks the provider what they think is working well in the service and their plans to improve.

This inspection took place on 9 October 2018 and was carried out by one adult social care inspector. We gave the provider two working days’ notice of the inspection. This is because this is a small agency supporting people in the community; we needed to be sure someone would be in.

In carrying out the inspection we looked at records of care and support for two people using the service and one person who received support with medicines. We looked at records of recruitment, supervision and training for four care workers. We also looked at records relating to the management of the service such as incidents records and policies and procedures.

We met with the managing director, registered manager and three care workers. After the inspection we made calls to two people who used the service, an advocate and a family member.

Updated 20 October 2018

We carried out this announced inspection on 9 October 2018. This was the first inspection for this service since the provider registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in December 2016. We rated the service ‘Good’.

Caremark Kensington is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in the community. The provider is a franchisee of Caremark. Not everyone using this service receives regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided. At the time of our inspection the service was providing personal care to two people.

The service had a registered manager who had been in post since December 2016. 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.

Staff were aware of their responsibilities to report suspected abuse and there were processes in place to safeguard people using the service. People told us that their care workers were caring and that they could always talk to a manager if they had concerns.

The provider carried out assessments of risks to people who used the service, including falls management plans which were reviewed as people’s needs changed. Care workers ensured that people were protected from the risk of hot water and that money was handled safely.

The provider operated safer recruitment measures to ensure that care workers were suitable for their roles. Care worker’s skills and knowledge were assessed during recruitment and staff received suitable training which was reviewed regularly. Managers carried out regular checks to make sure that care workers were carrying out tasks appropriately and that people were happy with their care, but care workers did not receive formal supervision.

Managers maintained audits and checks to ensure that they held that right information on people. Care workers told us that they maintained good contact with the office but there were no formal processes to record this. Care workers ensured that people received their medicines safely. The provider had assessed people’s health needs and how they could receive support to eat and drink safely.

Care was delivered in a safe and appropriate manner. Assessments were carried out of people’s care needs and plans were drawn up to meet these. Plans were detailed about the care people had and how this could be carried out in line with people’s wishes. People had consented to their care. Care workers ensured that people received the care they needed and were confident at highlighting issues of concern with managers so that these could be acted on.

We have rated this service ‘Good’. Where services are rated ‘Good’ we aim to return to carry out a further inspection within 30 months. We will continue to monitor this service and will return before this time if we think the quality of the service has changed.