Clinical oversight
The doctor led assessment, and what it means for the care
Before any carer moves in, a doctor from our team assesses the person at home. The care plan is built on that assessment, and clinicians oversee it as needs change.
- Doctor led live in care
- Initial assessment carried out by a doctor
- CQC registered for personal care
- Family run, with our own private GP clinic in Palmers Green
Why the assessment is carried out by a doctor
Most live in care begins with a form filled in by a care coordinator. Ours begins with a doctor at the kitchen table. That matters because the people who need live in care usually have several conditions and several medicines at once, and because the reason a family is calling is often a change in health: a fall, an infection, a hospital stay, a new diagnosis.
A doctor can read the discharge summary and the medicines list, ask the right questions about swallowing, continence, memory and mood, recognise where a risk sits, and set out clearly what the carer should do, what they should watch for, and when to escalate. The result is a care plan that is realistic from the first day rather than corrected after the first crisis.
What the assessment covers
- Medical history, current diagnoses and recent hospital stays
- Medicines: what is taken, when, and how it is managed now
- Mobility, transfers, falls history and equipment
- Memory, mood and communication
- Eating, drinking, swallowing and weight
- Continence, skin and personal care needs
- Sleep and what happens at night
- The home: stairs, bathroom, bedroom for the carer, safety
- The person's routine, preferences, language, faith and interests
- Family involvement, who to contact, and any power of attorney
- What the person and family want care to achieve
The assessment becomes the written care plan, and it tells us what kind of carer this household needs. If live in care is not the right answer, the assessment is where we say so.
Clinical oversight once care has started
Carers keep daily notes and report changes to the office. Because the service is run by doctors, a report of new confusion, more falls, poor eating or a medicines problem is looked at by someone who understands what it may mean, and escalated to the GP, district nurse, specialist team or family as appropriate. Complex medicine routines, for example in Parkinson's, are reviewed by the management team. The care plan is reviewed regularly and reassessed when needs change.
This is oversight, not medical treatment. Clinique Alpa is registered for personal care. Carers are not nurses, the assessment does not replace the person's own GP, and we do not provide an emergency medical service. What we provide is a care plan built on clinical understanding, and a team that recognises when something needs attention.
Optional private doctor home visits through Clinique Alpa
Some families want a doctor to keep visiting once care has started. That is provided by our private GP clinic in Palmers Green, run by the same family. Visits can be monthly, every two months, or weekly, and are arranged and paid for separately from live in care. Live in care and GP visits stay separate services, arranged and paid for separately.
Questions about the doctor led approach
Who carries out the care assessment?
A doctor from the Clinique Alpa team carries out the initial assessment at the person's home, before care begins.
Does doctor led mean a doctor is always available?
No. It means a doctor assesses the person at the start, clinicians run the service and review the care plan, and concerns raised by carers are escalated to the right person. It is not a medical on call service, and the person's own GP and NHS teams remain responsible for their treatment.
Is the live in carer a nurse?
No. Carers provide personal care and work to the care plan. They do not carry out nursing tasks. Where nursing is needed, district nurses or specialist teams provide it and we work alongside them.
Is there a charge for the assessment?
We will explain how the assessment is arranged, and any charge for it, when you first speak to us.
Are live in care and GP visits the same service?
No. Live in care is provided by Alpa Care Ltd, registered with the CQC for personal care. Ongoing medical visits come from our private GP clinic in Palmers Green, run by the same family, and are arranged and paid for separately.
Can we have a GP visit at home as well as live in care?
Yes. Some families add a private GP visit every month or two; others take a weekly home visit package through Clinique Alpa. It is purchased separately and does not turn the live in carer into a nurse.
Talk to Clinique Alpa
Speak to a manager about live in care
Call 020 8882 8088 or 07777 594448. You will speak to a manager, not a call centre. We will talk through the situation, tell you whether live in care is likely to be right, and explain what an assessment involves.
Live in care from Clinique Alpa is provided by Alpa Care Ltd, registered with the Care Quality Commission for personal care, provider ID 1-9691685023.