Bluebird Care (Wiltshire North)

Updated 21 February 2019

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 provider is 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 was carried out on the 15 and 16 January 2019 and was announced. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because the manager if often out supporting staff or providing care. We needed to be sure they would be in. The inspection was carried out by one inspector and an expert by experience. An expert by experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of service.

Before our inspection visit, we reviewed the information we held about the service. We looked at information within the statutory notifications the provider had sent to us. A statutory notification is information about important events, which the provider is required to send us by law. We also reviewed information the provider had sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information the provider sends us annually to give us key information about the service, what the service does well and the improvements they plan to make.

During our inspection we spoke with 10 people and three relatives on the telephone to gain their views of the service. During our site visit we spoke with two directors, the registered manager and eight members of staff. We looked at six care plans, four recruitment files, medicines administration records, health and safety records and reviewed records relating to the management of the service. The provider prepared some case studies about the work of the service which we were able to view at our site visit.

Following our site visit we contacted four healthcare professionals for their views on the service.

Updated 21 February 2019

This inspection was carried out on the 15 and 16 January 2019 and was announced. Bluebird Care (Wiltshire North) is a domiciliary care agency and provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats in North Wiltshire. It provides a service to people living with dementia, older people, younger adults, physical disability and sensory impairment. There were 75 people using the service at the time of inspection.

Not everyone using Bluebird Care (Wiltshire North) received 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.

There was 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.

At our last inspection we rated the service Good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of Good. There was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

Why the service is rated as Good

People told us they were being supported by kind and caring staff that did not rush them and helped them to maintain their independence. Staff we spoke with told us they enjoyed their jobs and working with the people they supported.

People’s needs had been assessed and personalised care plans were in place giving staff guidance on how to meet people’s needs. Staff worked with healthcare professionals to make sure people got effective care.

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 supported this practice.

People told us they felt safe and systems were in place to assess risks. Risk management plans were detailed and reviewed as needed. Medicines were managed safely, people had their medicines as prescribed.

People were supported by staff that had been recruited safely. Staff were trained and had the skills needed to support people. Staff were aware of the different types of abuse and how to report any concerns.

Systems were in place to monitor the quality and safety of the service. The provider was aiming to continuously improve how the service was delivered. Partnership working was demonstrated with a variety of agencies.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.