Background to this inspection
Updated
7 July 2022
Inspection team
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.
Inspection team
The inspection was carried out by one inspector.
Service and service type
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.
This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided. The registered manager was also the registered provider. At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service 48 hours notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
Inspection activity started on 31 May 2022 and ended on 10 June 2022. We visited the location’s office on 31 May 2022 and visited people and their relatives on 1 June 2022
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since registration. We sought feedback from the local authority who contract with the service. The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.
We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We visited three people, two of whom who were accompanied by relatives. We visited the office and spoke with registered manager and care manager. we looked at four staff recruitment and training files.
After the inspection
We spoke with three staff and three relatives by telephone. We received feedback from 12 relatives, and three staff via our website.
We used electronic file sharing to enable us to review governance documentation, staff training and elements of some people’s care records.
Updated
7 July 2022
About the service
Bluebells Helping Hands provides personal care to people living in their own homes in Weymouth, Dorset. Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided. At the time of the inspection the service was providing personal care to 26 people.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
There was a strong person-centred culture. People received care from caring, compassionate and highly motivated staff who were proud to work for the service. People and their relatives experienced a positive and inclusive approach to their care and were encouraged to give their feedback to help improve the service.
Feedback from people and relatives was overwhelmingly positive. They consistently praised the caring and supportive nature of the registered manager/provider and staff. People and their relatives told us the support from the service had increased their wellbeing, independence and ability to remain living at home.
People told us they felt safe with the staff who supported them. Risks were assessed and managed.
Staff knew how to recognise and report any safeguarding concerns. Staff supported people safely and medicines were managed safely by trained and competent staff.
People and their relatives were positive about the staff’s infection prevention and control practices. They told us staff always wore appropriate personal protective equipment in their homes.
People were cared for by a consistent team of staff. This meant that people were supported by staff who knew people well and understood their needs and preferences.
There were sufficient staff deployed to meet people's needs. People told us there had been no missed calls and staff turned up on time. Staff were very well supported and trained to ensure they had the skills to support people effectively.
People's needs were assessed before the service began to provide care and support. This ensured the service was able to meet people's needs and that there was clear guidance for staff to follow in relation to people's care.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
The service was well-led. There was a positive and open culture that ensured people were at the centre of everything the service did. People, relatives and staff told us that the registered manager/provider and deputy manager were approachable. Audits and checks were completed regularly to monitor the quality and safety of the service. There were clear processes in place to drive improvement and to continually develop the service in line with people's needs.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
This service was registered with us on 25 February 2021 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.