Background to this inspection
Updated
14 June 2017
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the registered provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
This inspection took place on 18 May 2017 and was announced. The inspection was completed by one adult social care inspector.
Before the inspection, we looked at information we had received about the service. The registered provider had completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the registered provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. The local authority safeguarding and quality teams were contacted as part of the inspection, to ask them for their views on the service. We also looked at the information we hold about the registered provider.
We spoke with three people who used the service and two relatives. We also spoke with five care staff and the registered manager.
We looked at four care files which belonged to people who used the service. We also looked at other important documentation relating to people who used the service such as incident and accident records. We looked at how the service used the Mental Capacity Act 2005 to ensure that when people were deprived of their liberty or assessed as lacking capacity to make their own decisions, actions were taken in line with the legislation as it applied to people who lived in the community.
We looked at a selection of documentation relating to the management and running of the service. These included three staff recruitment files, training records, staff rotas, supervision records for staff, minutes of meetings with staff, safeguarding records and quality assurance audits.
Updated
14 June 2017
Bluebird Care is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to provide personal care and support for people in their own homes. Over 70 people were supported by the service.
This inspection took place on 18 May 2017 and was announced. The registered provider was given 24 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure that someone would be in. This is the first inspection of the service since a change in registration.
There was a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the CQC to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have a legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
People were cared for by staff who had received training in how to identify abuse and how this should be reported to protect people from harm. Staff were provided with personal protective equipment, this lessened as far possible the risk of cross infection. Staff were recruited safely and all employment checks were undertaken before they started working for the service. Staff were provided in enough numbers to meet people’s needs. People were supported to take their medicines when appropriate. Risk assessments were in place which instructed staff in how to keep people safe and to mitigate any potential risk.
Staff had received training which equipped them to meet the needs of the people who used the service. People who used the service who needed support with making informed decisions were protected by legislation and how this is applied to people living in the community. Staff supported people who used the service to eat a well-balanced and wholesome diet which was of their choosing. Staff contacted health care professionals when needed.
People were cared for by staff who were kind and caring, and who understood their needs. People or their representative were involved with the formulation of care plans, these were reviewed regularly and updated where needed. Staff understood the importance of respecting people’s privacy, choice and dignity, and could describe to us how they would uphold these rights.
The registered provider had a complaints procedure and this was provided to people who used the service. Staff had access to information which described the person and the way they wanted be supported.
The management culture was open and inclusive. The service provided out of hours numbers for people or staff to call in an emergency. Audits were undertaken of the service to ensure it was meeting people’s needs effectively. Surveys and face to face interviews were undertaken to gain people’s views about how the service was run, other stakeholders were also consulted. All results of surveys and interviews were collated and a report produced of the findings. Staff and management meetings were held on a regular basis. This ensured the service moved forward and made changes where needed.