Background to this inspection
Updated
20 November 2019
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 Care Act 2014.
Inspection team
This inspection was carried out by one inspector and an Expert by Experience (ExE). 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.
The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. 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.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a care at home 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 25 September 2019 and ended on 1 October 2019. We visited the office location on 1 October 2019.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with the registered manager and six staff members and reviewed a range of records. This included eight people’s care and medication records. We looked at seven staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed. We spoke with eight people and seven people’s relatives about the service they received. We spoke with four health professionals who have regular contact with the service to gain their feedback about the service.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found.
Updated
20 November 2019
Mutual Benefit Care Limited t/a Bluebird Care - Suite 4, Westgate House known as Bluebird Care (the service will be referenced as Bluebird Care throughout this report) is a domiciliary care service that provides personal care and support to people living in their own homes. The service supported 66 people at the time of the inspection.
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.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
The vision of Bluebird Care was to promote a service in which people ‘have maximum control over their lives and remain at home for as long as possible.’ All staff and senior management demonstrated this clear vision and a positive person-centred culture was seen throughout.
Staff worked hard to meet people’s complex needs in the community and worked creatively with partner agencies to enable people to remain living at home. We heard many examples of how skilled staff supported people with complex needs at home, who would otherwise have required residential care. Staff had set high standards for themselves and this promoted an exceptionally person-centred service tailored to people’s individual needs.
People and their relatives spoke of the positive support, guidance and healthcare interventions people had received. They were full of praise for the staff in terms of their kindness and compassion. People were 'very happy' with the service they received. We received positive comments about their views and experiences.
People told us they felt safe because the staff were kind, caring and compassionate, and had an excellent understanding of the needs of the people they supported. People and their families viewed the staff as experts in their knowledge and skills when supporting people with complex health needs. Risks to people’s health and wellbeing had been assessed and plans had been developed to minimise risks to people.
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 registered manager and extended leadership team offered strong leadership and had a clear vision about the direction of the service. They were committed to improving people's lives and ensuring people could live in their own home for as long as possible. The management team were an integral part of the overall care team at Bluebird Care. The registered manager worked closely with partner agencies and services to promote best practice within the service and make a positive impact to people’s lives.
There was an effective quality assurance system in place to ensure people received the best possible service. The registered managers had developed a strong leadership team within the service to ensure the high standards implemented were sustained in their absence. The service benefitted from a positive culture which challenged perceptions, improved the confidence of people and had a positive impact on the lives of the people using the service.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was good (published 4 March 2017).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.