Background to this inspection
Updated
11 January 2023
The inspection
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 conducted by one inspector. An Expert by Experience supported the inspection by making phone calls to people who used the service and their relatives to ask for their feedback. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.
Service and service type
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.
Registered Manager
This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.
At the time of our inspection the registered manager was leaving the organisation. The provider was advertising for a new manager. In the meantime, the managing director of the company was undertaking the role of managing the service.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
Inspection activity started on 1 December 2022 and ended on 6 December 2022. We visited the location’s office on 6 December 2022.
What we did before the inspection
We looked at all the information we held about the provider, including notifications of significant events. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make.
During the inspection
We spoke with 1 person who used the service and the relatives of 8 other people. We received written feedback from 6 members of staff. We met the managing director who was also the nominated individual. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider. We met other senior staff working in the office.
We looked at the care records for 6 people who used the service and 6 staff recruitment, training and support records. We looked at other records the provider used for managing the service.
Updated
11 January 2023
About the service
Bluebird Care (Hounslow & Chiswick) is a care agency providing care and support to people living in their own homes.
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 35 older people were receiving support with personal care.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Medicines were not always managed in a safe way. The provider had not ensured staff were skilled, trained or competent when supporting people with medicines. The staff did not always record whether they had administered medicines and the provider's systems for checking this had not been effectively operated.
The provider had assessed most risks relating to people's safety and wellbeing. However, this was not the case for one person and therefore there was not enough information for staff about how to mitigate risks and keep the person safe.
The staff had not always undertaken the training needed for their roles and the provider did not carry out enough checks to make sure they were suitable and competent.
The provider's systems for monitoring and improving quality were not always effectively operated.
People were happy with the care they received. They liked their regular care workers and had good relationships with them. People were involved in planning their own care and were able to make choices about this.
Care plans were detailed and gave staff the information they needed to support people with personalised 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.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection and update
This is the first inspection of the service since it was registered with us on 5 November 2021.
Why we inspected
We carried out this inspection based on the date of registration.
For more information, please read the detailed findings section of this report. If you are reading this as a separate summary, the full report can be found on the Care Quality Commission (CQC) website at www.cqc.org.uk
Enforcement and Recommendations
We have identified breaches in relation to safe care and treatment, good governance and staffing at this inspection. Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.
Follow up
We will request an action plan from the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress. We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.