Archived: Bluebird Care (Stevenage)

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.

People we spoke with told us that staff understood their care and support needs and were polite and helpful. One person we spoke with told us the service was: 'Brilliant and carers understand what I want'.

Care plans we looked at were person centred and provided staff with guidance about how to meet people's care and support needs. Regular reviews were undertaken and care plans were updated when there were any changes to people's needs.

Records we looked at showed that people's medicines were administered to them in a safe way.

Staff we spoke with were knowledgeable about people's care and support needs and we observed staff speaking with people in an attentive and polite way.

Appropriate recruitment procedures were in place to ensure that the necessary checks were carried out prior to staff starting work. Staff told us that they received good training and support that enabled them to carry out their roles effectively.

Staffs' competency to do their job was checked regularly as part of a quality assurance system.

There were systems in place to seek people's feedback about the quality of the service they received. People we spoke with told us that they felt confident that they could raise any concerns that they had with the agency and that their concerns would be taken seriously.

We inspected Blue Bird Care Stevenage on 7 February 2013 to monitor improvements. We visited the agency and looked at care and personnel files and spoke with the provider and the manager.

Care plans gave staff clear guidance about delivering care to people, including the administration of medication. Staff were following the care plans safely. Staff recruitment was safe and robust.