Caremark Barking and Dagenham

Updated 9 July 2022

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.

Registered Manager

This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

At the time of our inspection there was not a registered manager in post. The service was being managed by the nominated individual. They told us they were in the process of applying to become the registered manager with the Care Quality Commission and records confirmed this. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

What we did before inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with the nominated individual. We reviewed a range of records. This included two people’s care records and one person’s medicine records. We looked at four staff files in relation to recruitment. A variety of records relating to the management of the service were reviewed, such as training data and various policies and procedures. We spoke with one person who used the service and one relative. We spoke with two members of staff, both care assistants.

Updated 9 July 2022

About the service

Caremark Barking and Dagenham is a domiciliary care service providing support with personal care to people. The service provides support to older people, most of who required support with end of life care. At the time of our inspection there were seven people using the service, but only four of them received support with personal care. 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 and relatives spoke positively about the service. A relative told us, “I would give them five stars, if that is the top rating.”

Systems were in place to help safeguard people from abuse. Risk assessments were in place which set out the risks people faced and included information about how to mitigate those risks. There were enough staff to meet people's needs and robust staff recruitment practices were in place. Medicines were managed in a safe way. Steps had been taken to help prevent the spread of infections. Systems were in place for investigating accidents and incidents.

Initial assessments were carried out of people's needs before they started using the service to see if the provider could meet them. Staff received training and supervision to support them in their role. The provider worked with other agencies to meet people's health care needs. People were able to make choices about what they ate and drank.

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.

People and relatives told us that staff were kind and caring and treated people well. People were supported to have control and choice over their daily lives. People's privacy was respected, and staff understood the importance of maintaining confidentiality.

Care plans were in place which set out how to meet the individual needs of people. People and relatives were involved in developing these plans, which meant they were able to reflect people's needs and preferences. People’s communication needs were met. People and relatives told us they had confidence that any complaints raised would be addressed. People's end of life care need were being met.

Quality assurance and monitoring systems were in place to help drive improvements at the service. There was an open and positive culture at the service, which meant people, relatives and staff could express their views. The provider worked with other agencies to develop best practice and share knowledge.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection and update

At the last inspection the service was not rated (Report published 15 January 2021). At this inspection the service has been rated as Good.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.