Caremark’s new system trial hailed a success

The UK care franchise’s PatchCare system has enjoyed significant success during a trial in West Sussex over the past 10 months.

Harnessing the positive aspects of residential care homes and in-home care services, the initiative has resulted in a reduction in 999 calls, an opportunity to reduce the number of care workers on zero-hour contracts, a social care system that advances the NHS Long-Term Prevention strategy and cost effective care that’s delivered with significant indirect cost savings to the local authority, the NHS and the service provider.

The Sussex-based office that piloted the system received an ‘outstanding’ rating from the Care Quality Commission on its first inspection since implementing PatchCare, placing it in the top two per cent of adult social care providers.

Caremark now intends to roll-out it out across the UK in 2019.

The system sees a team of care workers support clients in their own homes, in groups of no more than 10, in a small geographical patch.

This gives clients the opportunity for more visits during the day when needs arise, much like the support they would receive in a care home, rather than being forced to receive support at set times, which tends to be the current care model funded by local authorities.

Kevin Lewis, Caremark’s founder, says: “I used to work in care homes and since leaving in 1993 I’ve dreamed of providing a service that combines the benefits of care in the home with those of a residential care home.

“Since 2005, Caremark has been delivering quality in-home care, growing to over 100 offices in the UK, but that still wasn’t enough for me.

“People wish to stay at home for as long as possible, but the minimal visits often leave them feeling isolated and worrying about getting help in between those visits.

“Harnessing the positive aspects of both care homes and in-home care, in 2018 we developed and trialled PatchCare to great effect - my dream is soon to become a reality.”

The trial, funded by the West Sussex local authority, was initially given six months, but was extended for another six following promising results.

Sue Hills, managing director of Caremark Mid-Sussex & Crawley, says: “While most people will see the obvious long-term financial benefits for the local authority and NHS, our team focused on the fantastic improvement of well-being for our clients.

“To hear at the start of the trial that some of our clients had little or no will to continue living and to then see the transformation to them enjoying life, it is heart lifting.”