Background to this inspection
Updated
13 July 2019
The inspection: We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked 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.
Inspection team: This inspection was carried out by one inspector and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.
Service and service type: Bluebird Care [Plymouth & South Hams] is a franchise of the Bluebird Care Group and is a domiciliary care agency. Services included providing personal care and support to people in their own homes. The regulated activities include supporting people with dementia, learning disabilities or autistic spectrum disorder, mental Health, older people, sensory impairment and younger adults. At the time of our visit there were eighty-three people using the service.
The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.
This inspection was announced. We gave the service 24 hours notice in line with our methodology for inspecting domiciliary services. This ensures there are appropriate people available at the office to provide necessary information to us.
What we did: Before the inspection, the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. The provider returned the PIR and we took this into account when we made judgements in this report. We reviewed other information that we held about the service such as notifications. These are events that happen in the service that the provider is required to tell us about. We also considered the last inspection report and information that had been sent to us by other agencies. We also contacted commissioners who had a contract with the service.
We visited the service on the 14 May 2019 and spoke with the registered provider and registered manager. We spoke with an office manager and four visiting staff. On the day of the inspection fourteen people were contacted by telephone and we interviewed nine people. Prior to the inspection we received feedback from three health and social care professionals to gain their views on the service. Following the visit, we contacted eight staff members by email.
We looked at the care and medication records of five people who used the service, we observed information on display around the office such as information about safeguarding and how to make a complaint. We also examined records in relation to the management of the service such as staff recruitment files, quality assurance checks, staff training and supervision records, safeguarding information and accidents and incident information.
Updated
13 July 2019
About the service: Bluebird Care [Plymouth & South Hams] is a domiciliary care agency that provides personal care to people living in their own homes in the community. At the time of this inspection the agency was supporting approximately 110 people with personal care.
The service provides personal care to adults in the categories of dementia, learning disabilities or autistic spectrum disorder, mental health, older people, sensory impairment and younger adults.
Staff supported people with personal care, access to the local community, shopping and preparing meals. Some people received 24-hour care from staff at Bluebird Care [Plymouth & South Hams] to enable them to remain safely in their own homes.
What life is like for people using this service: People supported by the service continued to receive personalised care which was responsive to their individual needs. Staff had an excellent understanding of the care and support people required and provided this with great care and patience.
People's care and support had been planned proactively and in partnership with them. People felt consulted and listened to about how their care would be delivered.
The registered provider and registered manager were passionate about the quality of service delivery and led by example. They followed best practice and pursued opportunities to improve care and people's experiences to attain better outcomes.
There was an open, honest, caring and positive culture across the service and staff demonstrated a high value base. This was clearly led from the top down. The registered manager was also supported by a team of exceptionally motivated and dedicated service managers and team leaders.
People consistently gave examples of the registered provider and staff team as kind and caring people. They told us they valued their relationships with the staff who supported them which had often exceeded what they had requested.
Systems, processes and practices were embedded to safeguard people from abuse and risk of harm. Good practice guidance had been followed to keep people safe.
Risk assessments were in place to support people to take positive risks and remain safe.
Staffing levels were continuously reviewed to ensure there were enough staff to provide a flexible and responsive care. The registered manager and locality managers ensured people had a consistent staff team.
Medicines were managed safely to ensure people received them safely and in accordance with their health needs and the prescriber's instructions.
Staff liaised with other health care professionals to ensure people's safety and meet their health needs.
People, and where appropriate their representatives, were involved in decisions made about their care. Members of the management team from Bluebird Care [Plymouth & South Hams] visited people prior to them receiving care visits, to discuss their care needs and ensure the service could respond to them.
More information is in Detailed Findings below
Rating at last inspection: Overall Good. Outstanding in Care domain (report published 25/11/2016)
Why we inspected: We inspected this service as part of the scheduled programme.
Follow up: We will continue to monitor the service through the information we receive until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received, we may inspect sooner.