Background to this inspection
Updated
24 October 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
One inspector carried out this inspection.
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.
This inspection was announced. 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 21 June 2019 and ended on 19 August 2019. We visited the office location on 2 and 3 July 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 the clinical commissioning group. 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 of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with six people who used the service and five relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with ten members of staff including the director, operations manager, registered manager, deputy manager and care workers.
We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at two 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.
After the inspection
The provider submitted additional information. We also contacted health professionals to gather their views about the service.
Updated
24 October 2019
About the service
Bluebird Care (South Tyneside) is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to older 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.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People and relatives described the care as exceptional. They said it was “second to none” and “phenomenal.” One relative described it as a ‘shining example’ of what a homecare service should be.
Staff were especially responsive and regularly went above and beyond to ensure people's needs were anticipated and met with the utmost dignity and respect. Health professionals praised the skills of staff, especially for caring for people with complex needs. Staff strived to ensure people received care in personalised and meaningful ways.
The director, registered manager and whole staff team worked enthusiastically to provide excellence in line with the service's values. People were central to how the service operated. Staff were flexible and adapted to people's changing needs.
There was a very strong ethos throughout the service of putting people first and a desire to continually improve. There were good opportunities for people and staff to give feedback about the service. Staff felt particularly valued and listened to. The provider was proactive about participating in joint working initiatives and sharing good practice.
The service had developed innovative ways of ensuring staff received excellent support and their wellbeing was enhanced. The provider was especially effective when working with other professionals to develop the skills of the staff team. People and staff were instrumental in the quality assurance system to drive sustained improvement.
People, relatives and staff said the service was safe. Staff understood the safeguarding and whistle blowing procedures; they knew how to report concerns and were confident to do so. Previous safeguarding concerns had been reported and investigated. People received care from a reliable and consistent team of staff. New staff were recruited safely. People received their prescribed medicines when they were due. Incidents and accidents were investigated thoroughly.
Staff were very well supported from when they first started working for the service. They also had access to good training opportunities. 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.
People had been involved in deciding the care they needed, care plans were highly personalised. The provider took a holistic view to ensure people continued to participate in activities.
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 23 December 2016).
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.