We inspected Caremark (Wandsworth) on 5 September 2018. This was an announced inspection. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service; we needed to be sure that someone would be in.

At the last inspection which took place on 9 February 2016, the service was rated Good.

At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in the community. There were 34 people using the service at the time of the inspection. The service supports people with a range of care needs including, people living with dementia, mental health needs, sensory impairment and physical disability.

There was a registered manager at the service. 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.

Feedback from people and their relatives was overwhelmingly positive. Care workers were praised for their caring and friendly attitude. People said they felt safe and at ease in the presence of care workers. They were reassured because they received regular care workers who were familiar with their needs. Many of the care workers had been employed for a long time and this helped to foster valued relationships with people.

Staff received comprehensive training which helped them in carrying out their duties appropriately. They supported people with their medicines, personal care and their general health and well-being. They completed records which demonstrated the care they had delivered. Quality assurance checks such as the competency of care workers and checking their record keeping were carried out on a regular basis which helped to maintain good practice.

Care plans were completed with the consent of people and their relatives. These were reviewed on a regular basis to ensure the people received the care that they needed.

There was an open culture at the service. incident report procedures were clear and care workers were familiar with them. People and their relatives were invited to provide feedback about the quality of service they received. When complaints were raised, the provider acted swiftly to investigate these. Action was taken to improve the service if needed.

The registered manager was aware of her responsibilities and the provider worked in partnership with other organisations to support the provision of care to people. We received positive feedback from health and social care professionals about the good working relationship they had with the service.

This inspection took place on 9 February 2016 and was announced. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service; we needed to be sure that someone would be in. This was the first inspection of this service since it registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Caremark (Wandsworth) is part of a national franchise organisation, Caremark. It provides personal care for people in their own homes. Some of the people receiving support from the service include older people, some people with mental health, acquired brain injuries and some receiving end of life care. At the time of the inspection there were 17 people using the service.

There was a registered manager at the service. 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.

People and their relatives told us they were happy with the provider. They said that care workers were familiar with their needs, were kind, friendly and looked after them. Some gave us examples of when care workers went above and beyond their normal duties that demonstrated a caring attitude. They told us they felt safe in the presence of care workers.

Care workers underwent a thorough recruitment process which included checks on their work history, reference and criminal records checks. This helped to keep people safe. Care workers completed a thorough induction programme which lasted four days and completed the Care Certificate within three months of joining the service. They received regular supervision and ongoing training.

Care workers were knowledgeable about people’s life history and were familiar with their preferences in relation to a number of things, including their diet and their personal care needs. They knew about the importance of asking for consent when supporting people which helped to ensure that their rights were protected.

The provider completed thorough assessments before starting to care for people from which care plans were written. People using the service and their next of kin were involved in all aspects of their care and were consulted during care plan reviews. Care records were easy to read and were reviewed regularly.

There was a strong emphasis on quality assurance, with unannounced spot checks, care record audits and telephone monitoring taking place at regular intervals. People were asked for their views about the standard of care they received and also about the service they received from the provider. People said they had very few complaints but when they did, the provider listened to their concerns and acted to resolve them.

Although there had been some changes with the office based staff, people told us they received excellent care and they would not hesitate to recommend the provider to other people.