Bluebird Care (Islington) & Bluebird Care (Hackney)

On this page

• Overview
• Person-centred Care
• Care provision, Integration and continuity
• Providing Information
• Listening to and involving people
• Equity in access
• Equity in experiences and outcomes
• Planning for the future

Responsive – this means we looked for evidence that the provider met people’s needs. At our last assessment we rated this key question Good. At this assessment the rating has remained Good.

This meant people’s needs were met through good organisation and delivery.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The provider made sure people were at the centre of their care and treatment choices and they decided, in partnership with people, how to respond to any relevant changes in people’s needs.

People received personalised care and support which reflected how they wanted to live their daily lives. Care plans contained detailed information about people’s routines, communication needs, interests, choices and how they wished to be supported.

Care plans provided staff with guidance about how people preferred to communicate and make decisions. For example, one care plan stated the person should be asked to speak first before staff began any tasks, while another explained the person should be offered only two or three options as too much may be overwhelming. One person’s care plan described how they responded positively to gentle encouragement at the time of visits, showing care was tailored to how that individual person engaged with support.

The provider understood the diverse health and care needs of people and their local communities, so care was joined-up, flexible and supported choice and continuity.

People told us they were often supported by the same care workers over a long period of time. One person told us regular care workers visited them Monday to Friday and they spoke to the same office staff if they had concerns, which helped them receive familiar and coordinated care.

After each visit staff recorded what care and support, they had provided, from personal care and medicines through to how the person was feeling. This ensured staff had a clear understanding of the person’s current needs and supported continuity of care.

The provider supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs.

People and relatives told us they received information about their care and support in ways they could access and understand. Relatives told us they could access the electronic care system to read daily care notes and stay updated about their family member’s care. One relative told us the service sent them their family member’s rota by email. One person who was using the service told us staff brought them a printed rota during visits as they did not use a smartphone.

Care plans considered people’s communication needs and adapted how information was shared with people and relatives. Care plans also contained people’s unique communication styles to meet individual needs, including speaking clearly, facing the person when communicated, and involving relatives where appropriate to support communication.

The provider made it easy for people to share feedback and ideas, or raise complaints about their care, treatment and support.

People and relatives told us managers were accessible and responsive. People told us they could contact the office day or night and speak with someone if they had concerns or queries. People also told us managers regularly contacted them and visited to discuss their care and support.

We reviewed complaints and concerns logs and found concerns raised by people and relatives were reviewed and followed up by managers. One person who was using the service told us they had raised concerns about a care worker, and the service listened, apologised and arranged a replacement carer. Another relative told us the service was very honest when something went wrong.

The provider made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it.

The service used a customer priority tool to rate people according to their level of dependency. This helped make sure that people with the highest level of need, such as those who lived alone or required time-critical support, received their care first if there was ever a disruption to the service.

Care plans considered people’s individual communication and accessibility needs, including hearing, sight and other specific requirements, to make sure care and information was accessible.

People told us they could contact the service at any time of the day or night if they had concerns or needed support, and someone from the office would always respond.

Staff and leaders actively listened to information about people who are most likely to experience inequality in experience or outcomes and tailored their care, support and treatment in response to this.

Staff and leaders were aware that some people faced additional barriers because of their communication needs, cognitive difficulties or health conditions. Care plans included detailed risk assessments and guidance for staff about how to support people with complex mental health conditions and neurological conditions. For example, care plans included guidance about deescalation techniques, monitoring early warning signs and when to contact external healthcare professionals, helping staff to reduce the risk of people experiencing inequality in their care.

The provider used an equality, diversity and inclusion tool to assess people’s needs to help ensure care was personalised and accessible. Staff were encouraged to identify community activities and resources for people who may become socially isolated.

People were supported to plan for important life changes, so they could have enough time to make informed decisions about their future, including at the end of their life.

Care plans considered people’s future support needs and wishes as part of their care and support. Care records included guidance about deteriorating health conditions, emergency information and Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation arrangements. Where family members held a lasting power of attorney, this was documented and respected so right people were involved in decisions about a person’s care and future wishes.

The service was supporting one person receiving end of life care at the time of this assessment.