Caremark Redcar and Cleveland, a home care provider supporting approximately 400 elderly individuals, has announced plans to contest a Care Quality Commission (CQC) report that deemed its overall service as “requiring improvement.”
While the CQC’s inspection rated the organisation as “good” in ineffectiveness, care, and responsiveness, it flagged concerns about safety and leadership, prompting the overall rating.
Strong Performance in Local Council Assessment
Managing Director Michelle Jackson expressed disappointment with the CQC's findings, highlighting a stark contrast with a recent quality inspection by Redcar and Cleveland Council, which awarded the provider high scores.
“This outcome does not reflect the high standards we consistently deliver. We will challenge this result while remaining committed to addressing legitimate concerns,” said Jackson.
Areas Highlighted for Improvement
The CQC report pointed to issues with record-keeping and incident management, though it confirmed that no harm had come to any clients. Specific shortcomings included:
Record-keeping: Incomplete documentation, such as missing details about where creams were applied or inconsistent medication timing.
Incident management: sufficient implementation of learning from repeated medicine errors.
However, the report also commended the provider in key areas:
Staff management: Well-structured rotas and robust recruitment processes with thorough background checks.
Leadership: Described as "capable and compassionate."
Action Plan for Progress
Following the inspection, Caremark Redcar and Cleveland submitted a detailed action plan to address the identified shortcomings. This includes new audit systems and enhanced processes to prevent the recurrence of the issues raised.
A company spokesperson reaffirmed Caremark’s commitment to continuous improvement, stating:“We value the feedback provided by the CQC and have already implemented measures to address their concerns. Our recent high council inspection scores more accurately reflect the quality of our services, and we remain dedicated to delivering safe, compassionate, and effective care to our clients.”
Balancing Accountability and Improvement
As the provider challenges the report, it underscores its dual focus on maintaining high-quality services while collaborating with the CQC to meet regulatory standards. This approach demonstrates its commitment to both transparency and accountability in the care sector.
Caremark Redcar and Cleveland’s efforts to address the concerns raised may set a benchmark for other care providers navigating similar challenges, ensuring a higher standard of elderly care across the board.
Source: BBC News
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