Archived: Bluebird Care (Carlisle & Dumfries)

Updated 30 July 2014

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 was meeting the regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and to pilot a new inspection process under Wave 1.

The inspection team consisted of one inspector who was supported on this inspection by an Expert by Experience. This is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Bluebird Care is a domiciliary care agency which provides personal care and community support such as shopping and domestic duties to adults. The office for the agency is located near the centre of Carlisle and provides a service to people in Carlisle and the surrounding areas.

Before our inspection we reviewed the information we held about this service but were unable to speak to any social workers. We were able to speak to the local authority contracts manager and a member of the district nursing team. This agency provided a service for over approximately 50 older people who received a mixture of personal care and domestic duties.

We visited the service on 8 May 2014 and spent time with the registered manager and the two care co-ordinators.

We looked at care records including care plans, medication records, staff files, policies and procedures and staff training records. We spoke on the telephone to 21 of the people who received care, one relative and four members of the staff team who provided care and support.

At the last inspection visit in November 2013 we found that this service met all the national standards we looked at. Since then there has been no incidents or concerns raised that needed investigation.

Updated 30 July 2014

Bluebird Care is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care and/or domestic support to people living in their own homes.

At the time of our inspection the agency provided personal care and support for approximately 50 people receiving a mixture of personal care, domestic duties and personal shopping.

There was a registered manager in post who was supported by two care co-ordinators in the office and an operations manager from the parent company, Beachwood Homecare.

We found that all the people using this agency had been fully assessed before the service started. This assessment was completed prior to the service starting and ensured that the agency could provide the relevant care and support. The information from this assessment was used to formulate a plan of care that was personal to the individual.

The recruitment and selection process was robust with all new staff fully vetted before they were appointed to make certain only suitable people, who had not been barred from working with vulnerable adults, were employed to support people in their own homes. This meant that people were cared for by staff who had been thoroughly checked prior to starting work.

Staff training was up to date and staff were supported through face to face supervision meetings with their line manager. This ensured staff were fully aware of their roles and responsibilities when caring for elderly, vulnerable people.

There was an internal quality audit system in place and home visits were made by the senior staff to check on the quality of care provided. This system of audits or checks meant that the provider had a good understanding of what was good care and support.