Caremark
Year on year growth As Caremark once again enjoys a record breaking year, we talk to CEO Kevin Lewis about his plans for expansion. “You can make incredible profits from a truly rewarding business” he tells Elite Franchise “The UK homecare market is booming.” It’s easy to get caught up in Kevin Lewis’s enthusiasm as he spells out his expansion plans for Caremark, the homecare franchise network that goes from strength to strength. As the UK population grows older and ever larger, the founder and chief executive sees nothing but promising signs ahead. “We’re in search of the right people to join a successful network of likeminded business partners. They should be ambitious and driven in business, yet also have a genuine passion for providing outstanding care within their communities.” Kevin’s passion for his business is apparent from the get-go. And why wouldn’t it be? The Caremark network grew by more than 20% in 2020. “More often, people are far happier to stay in the comfort of their own home and have friendly, reliable and trustworthy support staff come in and look after them.” Says Kevin. “We take pride in providing these services, whether it be 24/7, for one hour a day, or even just an hour a week. We are completely flexible.” ”At Caremark, we tailor our care 6
service to meet an individual client’s needs, whatever they may be. This gives great peace of mind for the client and their families, and is a great career opportunity for those passionate about providing care.” The homecare revolution Kevin’s work in providing care dates back to 1987, when he opened his first residential care home in Hove, East Sussex. “I remember our first ever resident,” he recalls. “She was an 89-year-old Welsh lady and unfortunately, she had no one in the world. From the very beginning I felt this incredible sense of responsibility and compassion for her.” The residential home grew over time into a successful business, registered for 20 residents. Whilst this was a great achievement, it flailed in comparison to the enormous potential on the horizon of the UK care market. The future of the industry was shaped in 1993, when John Major’s government implemented the NHS and Community Care Act. From then on, the emphasis would shift towards commissioning care from the independent sector to look after people in their own homes.
“In September 1993, I set up my first domiciliary care company,” says Kevin. “It grew very rapidly – in fact, we achieved a turnover of over £1 million in the first 18 months.” “Where many companies failed was in not understanding the logistics of getting a large number of carers to a growing number of clients in a large geographical area.” Nor was this a dilemma solved overnight for Kevin. He carefully analysed every problem he’d encountered and devised processes, systems and procedures to prevent
