Archived: Bluebird Care Islington

Below is a summary of what we found. The summary is based on speaking with people who used the service, their relatives, the staff supporting them, the managers of the service and from looking at records.

If you wish to see the evidence supporting our summary please read the full report.

Is the service safe?

People who use the service and their relatives told us they were treated with dignity and respect by the staff and service managers. One person told us "I feel a lot safer in my own home knowing there is someone I can phone if I have a fall". The provider had an on-call system in place so staff and people who used the service could contact a manager if they needed support. People told us this system worked well.

Safeguarding procedures were in place and staff and service managers had been trained in safeguarding adults. Staff we spoke with told us they would follow the appropriate procedure for raising a safeguarding alert should they be concerned about a person who used the service. People who used the service were provided with appropriate information and contact details for reporting allegations of abuse in the service's 'Customer information guide'.

Each person who used the service had a number of risk assessments relating to their care and support, and the environment in which the support was provided. Those we viewed were comprehensive and had measures in place to reduce risks in line with the person's needs.

Staff recruitment procedures were robust and included all necessary checks to ensure staff were appropriately skilled and experienced. Staff received a comprehensive induction, including a number of shadow shifts with more experienced staff or the Registered Manager, and ongoing training in areas such as safe manual handling and administering medicines. This ensured that staff were well-trained and their competency in these tasks was assessed prior to working alone with vulnerable people.

Is the service effective?

Each person who used the service had a care plan outlining their specific needs and preferences for their care and support. These were reviewed and updated annually or when people's needs changed. A relative we spoke with told us "They go the extra mile. If the care worker needs something clarified by the district nurse or the GP, for example, they will just phone them and ask and sort it out there and then rather than waiting for me to do it. My relative's needs are met and there is no waiting or faffing about".

Is the service caring?

People who used the service and their relatives were very positive about the service they received. One relative said "It is the best agency we have ever used, they are great. They really care, and it's from the top down - the coordinators really listen and you can tell that the care workers' hearts are in it. This is what care should look like".

Several people we spoke with commented on time and how this affected the care they or their relative received. One person told us "They take their time and don't rush. They sit down and have a cup of tea and a chat - it's not all about the cooking and the cleaning and the bathing. They make me feel like a person and not just a body to wash before they dash off to the next body". A relative told us "They always explain what they are doing - 'I'm going to lift your leg now' rather than just hauling my relative around. I am bowled over by the care and respect they show".

When speaking with staff it was clear they genuinely cared for the people they supported.

Is the service responsive?

People told us they felt listened to and appreciated the flexibility of the service. One relative told us they appreciated the sensitivity of the service to their relative's needs, and said "They took a lot of time and were very flexible. They changed their standard processes to fit in with us". A person who used the service told us "They are very good at asking me what I want and how I do things. They fit in with my routines rather than imposing their routines on me".

The provider had a system in place to gather feedback from people who use the service, their relatives and staff. The service's 'Customer information guide' contained clear information about how to make a complaint and details of a local advocacy service people could use for support to make a complaint.

Is the service well-led?

The service had a quality assurance system in place and regular spot checks were carried out by the Registered Manager. People who use the service, their relatives and staff were very positive about the support they received from the service's managers. Roles and responsibilities within the service were clearly outlined, and staff told us they could contact the office at any time with questions or for support.