Bluebird Care (Uxbridge, Ickenham & Hayes)

On this page

• Overview
• Learning culture
• Safe systems, pathways and transitions
• Safeguarding
• Involving people to manage risks
• Safe environments
• Safe and effective staffing
• Infection prevention and control
• Medicines optimisation

Safe – this means we looked for evidence that people were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good. This meant people were safe and protected from avoidable harm.

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 had a proactive and positive culture of safety, based on openness and honesty. Staff listened to concerns about safety and investigated and reported safety events. Lessons were learnt to continually identify and embed good practice.

The provider had a procedure for the recording, investigation and identified of any actions in relation to incidents, safeguarding and complaints. The registered manager explained when actions were identified following an investigation, they were discussed with the staff providing care for the person involved. They discussed the issues as part of supervision and team meetings with the other staff to share the change to practice.

Staff told us senior staff discussed what had been learned following an investigation into an incident, safeguarding or complaint to improve how they provide support. A staff member said, “[They] create a safe environment for individuals to feel comfortable reporting errors and learning from them.” The registered manager told us they used information from previous incidents for training sessions where the issue, immediate actions and possible lessons learned would be discussed so staff would understand the process and how to support people appropriately. Audits of incident and accident records were carried out to ensure processes had been followed and identify any trends.

The provider worked with people and healthcare partners to establish and maintain safe systems of care, in which safety was managed or monitored. They made sure there was continuity of care, including when people moved between different services.

The registered manager met with a person and/or their representatives and carried out a needs assessment and to identify the support they may require. This information was used to develop the person’s care plans and risk assessments.

The provider worked with people and healthcare partners to understand what being safe meant to them and the best way to achieve that. Staff focussed on improving people’s lives while protecting their right to live in safety, free from bullying, harassment, abuse, discrimination, avoidable harm and neglect. The provider shared concerns quickly and appropriately.

People and relatives felt the care was provided in a safe manner and met their support needs. People and relatives said, “I feel completely safe with the carers that come here”, and “[Family member] is 100% safe with the carers. They are excellent with [family member].” The registered manager told us there was a safeguarding policy. They followed the local authority safeguarding process which was confirmed by the records of concerns. Staff confirmed they had completed safeguarding adults training, and they could demonstrate their understanding of what safeguarding means in relation to providing safe care. Staff told us, “Safeguarding means protecting their right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect”, and “It is about promoting their wellbeing, respecting their rights, and taking action when concerns arise to keep them safe.”

The provider worked with people to understand and manage risks by thinking holistically. Staff provided care to meet people’s needs that was safe, supportive and enabled people to do the things that mattered to them.

Relatives told us that when staff identified an issue with their family member’s health, they would contact the relative to ensure the relevant healthcare professional was informed. Risk assessment and management plans were developed to provide staff with guidance on how to reduce possible risks when providing support. The registered manager explained that during the needs assessment they discussed possible risks in relation to the person’s health and wellbeing and how this could be mitigated. This included assessing a person’s mobility and ensuring they had the appropriate equipment or make referrals to the relevant healthcare professionals. The registered manager also explained that regular monitoring of risks was carried out and staff were supported to inform the office if they had identified a change in the person’s support needs so appropriate action was taken. Staff undertook training to help them understand how to provide safe care and reduce risks such as supporting people with their mobility needs.

The provider detected and controlled potential risks in the care environment. They made sure equipment, facilities and technology supported the delivery of safe care. The provider had completed environmental risk assessments providing information on possible risks at the person’s home. These included smoke and fire alarms with how checks them, electrical and water supply. Risk assessments included information for personal emergency evacuation plans (PEEP) including guidance on how to support the person and how to leave the person’s home in case of an emergency.

The provider made sure there were enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff, who received effective support, supervision and development. They worked together well to provide safe care that met people’s individual needs. People and relatives said staff stayed for the full visit, they had the required training to provide safe care and regular staff visited them which meant they had consistency of their care. A person commented, “If they are running late, they always call us and let us know. They stay as long as is needed to do all that is required. They appear to be well trained. We have regular carers but if they are off then they still always send people we know.” A relative said, “[Family member] has regular carers that they know and that is something I stipulated at the start, that they had familiarity of carers.”

Staff members confirmed they had a regular people they supported and had enough time to provide the care required during each visit.

The provider had a robust process for the safe recruitment of staff. The provider completed a range of checks of new staff which included obtaining references, checking the right to work in the United Kingdon and criminal record checks. New staff completed an induction, shadowing an experienced staff member and a range of training. Staff felt they were supported and had regular team and supervision meetings.

The provider assessed and managed the risk of infection. They detected and controlled the risk of it spreading and shared concerns with appropriate agencies promptly. People and relatives confirmed staff used personal protective equipment (PPE) when providing care. A relative commented, “They wear PPE and always wash hands, and we know they use gloves as there is always a used pair in the bin that we see when we go in.” Staff completed training in infection prevention and control and were provided with enough PPE to use during visits. The registered manager checked their understanding through observations and obtaining feedback on their practice from people receiving care.

The provider made sure that medicines and treatments were safe and met people’s needs, capacities and preferences. Staff involved people in planning, including when changes happened. People and relatives explained that, when required, staff provided support with the prescribed medicines and creams. A relative said, “They do help with [family member] medicines and it is recorded on the computer system.” Medicines were managed in a safe manner and were administered as prescribed. Staff undertook medicines training and completed regular competency assessments to assess their skills and understanding. Regular audits were carried out on the medicines administration records (MAR) and issues identified were investigated and improvements made.