30 January 2018
During a routine inspection
Not everyone using Bluebird Care (Scarborough and Bridlington) receives a regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided. The service covers Scarborough, Bridlington and the surrounding villages.
The provider took over the location of Bluebird Care (Scarborough and Bridlington) in July 2017. This was the first rated inspection.
We inspected this service on 30 January 2018. The provider was given 48 hours' notice of our visit because we needed to be sure that someone would be in the location's office when we visited. At the time of our inspection, there were 23 people using the service who were receiving support with personal care. At this inspection we found the service was Good.
At the time of our inspection 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.
People who used the service told us they felt safe and well cared for and staff were able to tell us what they would do to ensure people were safe.
Medicines were administered in the correct manner and handled safely to protect people.
Staff were recruited safely. The service had sufficient numbers of suitably qualified staff deployed to care for people who used the service. People were protected by the infection control procedures carried out by staff.
Training was up to date across a range of relevant areas. Staff were knowledgeable and demonstrated they had the skills and aptitude required to provide care to people who used the service.
Staff had received up to date training in Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). Staff understood that people should be consulted about their care and they understood the principles of the MCA and DoLS. People were supported to make choices and best interest decisions were made when required.
People's nutrition and hydration needs were met. People enjoyed their meals and they had choices around their meals and drinks.
People were treated with kindness and compassion. Staff worked in a person centred manner and treated people with dignity and respect. Staff had positive, genuine relationships with the people they supported. People told us staff were kind and caring.
Staff worked well together as a team. They had good shared knowledge about people’s needs.
Care plans contained detailed information which reflected people's individual requirements and detailed their preferences. Care plans were kept up to date when people's needs changed. People were involved in devising their care plan and they had active input into the reviews of their care. People’s choices and preferences were respected.
Records and observations provided evidence that people were treated in a way which encouraged them to feel valued and cared about. Staff were knowledgeable about the people they supported.
People told us they knew how to make a complaint. They told us they would be confident their concerns would be listened to.
The manager of the service supported the staff to be effective in their role. Staff told us the manager was approachable and empathetic.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service support this practice.
The provider completed regular audits of the service which ensured good quality assurance was maintained.
Further information is in the detailed findings below.