Archived: Bluebird Care (Stevenage)

Updated 14 April 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 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 took place on 3 March 2016. We told the provider 48 hours before our visit that we would be coming to ensure we could access the information we needed. Before our inspection we reviewed information we held about the service including statutory notifications. Statutory notifications include information about important events which the provider is required to send us.

During and after the inspection we spoke with four people who used the service, four relatives, five support staff, the registered manager and the director of the service. We looked at nine care plans, four employment files and other relevant documents relating to how the service operated.

We were unable to observe care provision due to the nature of the service which provided personal care and support to people living in their own homes.

Updated 14 April 2016

The inspection took place on 3 March 2016. We gave the provider 48 hour notice of our intended inspection to make sure that appropriate staff were available to assist us. We also contacted people who used the service after we carried out the inspection. At the time of our inspection Bluebird Care (Stevenage) offered care and support to 78 people in their own homes.

There was a manager in post who had registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). 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 legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People told us staff supported them to take their medicines in in time. Staff were trained in safe administration of medicine practices, however we found that the medicine administration records had unexplained gaps where staff had not signed to say they administered peoples` medicines.

People and their relatives told us that their family members were kept safe and well cared for when they were being supported by the service. Staff had received training in how to safeguard people from potential abuse and knew how to identify the risks associated with abuse.

Recruitment processes were robust and ensured staff employed to deliver care and support for people were of a good character and suitable to meet people`s needs safely. There were sufficient numbers of staff available to meet people’s individual needs and the service provided was flexible.

Potential risks to people’s health and well-being had been assessed and reviewed regularly to ensure the risks to people’s health and wellbeing were effectively managed.

People and their relatives were very complimentary about the abilities and experience of the staff who provided care and support. Staff received training when they were employed and regular updates to ensure they were up to date with their knowledge and best practice guidance.

Staff supported people to stay safe in their homes and people were supported to maintain their health and well- being. Staff developed appropriate positive and caring relationships with the people they supported and their families, and feedback from people was consistently positive about the service they received.

Staff asked people for their consent before providing care and support. People and their relatives where appropriate were involved in the initial planning of the care and support people received. People's personal information was stored securely and confidentiality was maintained.

People told us they felt the staff provided care and support that was delivered in a way that promoted their dignity and respected their privacy. Staff were knowledgeable about people`s preferred routines and delivered care that was individualised to the person they were supporting.

People told us they felt that staff listened to them and responded to them in a positive way. They appreciated that the registered manager sent them regular questionnaires to seek their views about the service they received. People and their relatives knew how to raise concerns and they were confident that the registered manager would take appropriate action to address any concerns in a timely way.

People and their relatives were positive about the staff and the management of the service. The registered manager regularly audited the service any improvements needed were promptly actioned.