The care at home service works predominantly with older people living with age related conditions such as dementia. It also provides care and support to those requiring end of life support and adults with learning difficulties and physical disabilities.
Neil Cox, CQC’s head of inspection for adult social care in London, said: “We found the team at Caremark (Havering) was committed to providing outstanding care to the people they supported. People were encouraged to have choice, independence, and control in a range of aspects of their lives. The team should be extremely proud of the work they do. What really impressed me about this service was the level of personalised support that people received from staff who had the right skills and who treated people with kindness, compassion and dignity. For example, staff recognised special occasions and religious holidays where appropriate, and continued to do this during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite the additional pressures they were facing. The provider even organised arts and crafts competitions, to engage people in an enjoyable activity and support their emotional wellbeing. People told us they liked the staff who supported them, and staff themselves declared it a great place to work.”
“People should always be cared for by services that are safe, effective, caring, responsive to their needs, and well-led. I would encourage other providers to read this report, and the others we have published on our website about services we have rated outstanding, to see what they can learn.”
Caremark (Havering) Managing Director Bal Bains had this to say on the outstanding rating from the CQC which less than 4% of adult care providers in the country currently have: “We are absolutely delighted to receive this rating from the regulatory body for the work we conduct, caring for people in their own homes, being rated Outstanding for being responsive and well-led is a testament to the work the whole team puts in, to make sure each and every client receives the highest quality care.”
People using the services of Caremark (Havering) consistently praised its management. Comments included: “I have very amicable arrangements with the carers. They’re very co-operative.”
Staff members consistently praised the management of the service. Comments included: “I really love working for them. The clients are lovely. The manager is really nice and bubbly.” Another staff member shared ‘‘I am so impressed with Bal. She is so compassionate, and her work is amazing and so thorough. We’re really looking forward to continuing our community events then we can, they were very good’’ and another member of staff said ‘’Bal is amazing and passionate about people and care. It really comes through’’.
CQC inspectors found:
• People were highly respected and well-treated. Their personal histories, cultures and values were identified to ensure staff were delivering a personalised service.
• The provider’s equality, diversity and inclusion policy protected characteristics such as age, race, disability and sexual orientation, which legally protect people from discrimination. Staff were trained in these areas and told inspectors they respected people’s differences and human rights.
• People’s social needs were explored so the provider could plan how they could be met and ensure people felt consulted, empowered, listened to, and valued.
• The provider developed community links and, to help tackle isolation, they set up a partnership with a local charity to raise money for lonely elderly people and help them engage in community activities. In the COVID-19 pandemic, staff set up a befriending service called ‘Chit Chat Chums’ for all elderly people in Havering, not just those using the service, to help reduce people’s loneliness and anxiety during lockdown.
• People said their privacy, dignity and independence was promoted and respected by staff.
• The service also understood how to promote end of life care. Staff were very supportive of a bereaved family who were unable to visit their relative who passed away unexpectedly. They offered to assist with funeral arrangements and even selected an outfit for the person to wear at the funeral. The outfit was culturally specific and meant a lot to the deceased, demonstrating the provider’s exceptional understanding of people’s social and cultural needs and beliefs.