Background to this inspection
Updated
12 February 2016
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 manager is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the scheme, and to provide a rating for the scheme under the Care Act 2014.
This announced inspection took place on 13 January 2016 and was completed by one inspector and an expert by experience.
The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and the registered manager and staff are often out during the day; we needed to be sure that someone would be in.
Before the inspection the registered provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the registered provider to give some key information about the service, what it does well and improvements they plan to make. The registered provider returned the PIR and we took this into account when we made judgements in this report. We
looked at other information that we held about the service.
This included the notifications we had received from the service.
A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to tell us about by law. Before the inspection we sent people a questionnaire about their satisfaction of the care they were provided with.
During our inspection we observed how staff interacted with people.
We spoke with ten people. We spoke with the director of the service, the registered manager, two staff supervisors and two care staff.
We looked at five people’s care and medicine administration records. We looked at records in relation to the management of the service such as quality monitoring records and staff meeting minutes. We looked at staff recruitment documents, supervision and appraisal processes, training records, compliments and complaints records.
Updated
12 February 2016
Bluebird Care (Huntingdon) LTD is registered to provide personal care to people who live in their own homes. The service's registered office is located on the outskirts of Huntingdon.
At the time of our inspection there were 22 people receiving personal care from the service.
This announced inspection took place on 13 January 2016 2015. This was to make sure that the provider was in when we visited.
The service had a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
The suitability and skills of staff were ensured through a robust recruitment and induction process. This helped ensure that staff met legal requirements. People’s needs were met by a sufficient number of staff at the times people wanted.
Staff were trained in, and had their competence for, medicine’s administration regularly assessed. Safe medicines administration and management practices were adhered to. Staff had the necessary knowledge and skills to be confident in identifying and reporting any harm should this ever occur.
The CQC is required by law to monitor the operation of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and to report on what we find. The registered manager and some staff were knowledgeable about the situations where an assessment of people’s mental capacity could be required. No person using the service lacked mental capacity or required care that was in their best interests. However, not all staff had an embedded understanding of the MCA. This meant there was a risk of people being provided with care that was not always in their best interests should this be required.
People’s care was provided with compassion by dedicated staff who knew and understood people’s preferences. People’s privacy and dignity was respected by staff who adhered to good standards of care. People were supported to make decisions about the aspects of their lives that were important to them.
People and family members were involved in planning their care provision. This also included the registered manager, senior care staff, healthcare professionals and care managers. Advocacy arrangements were in place to support those people who required someone to speak up on their behalf. Regular reviews of people’s care were completed to help ensure that people were provided with care and support based upon their latest information.
People were supported to access a range of health care professionals including a GP. Health care advice and guidance was adhered to. Prompt action was taken in response to people’s health care needs.
People were supported, where required, to ensure they ate and drank sufficient quantities. People had the choice to eat their favourite foods where and when they wanted to.
People were supported to raise concerns or suggestions in a way which respected their rights. Staff responded quickly to any changes in a people’s well-being and if they had concerns about their care details. Information and guidance about how to raise compliments or concerns was made available to people and their relatives.
Effective audits and quality assurance procedures were in place. This helped identify good practice, areas for improvement and what worked well. The registered provider attended a range of meetings to help ensure good practice was identified and shared. Support was provided to develop staff’ skills and obtain additional care related qualifications.