Bluebird Care Redbridge

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

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 told us they had a clear process for recording, reviewing and escalating incidents and accidents. These were recorded on the service’s electronic care management system, PASS. They carried out risk reviews quarterly and took learnings from these, however, themes were repeating in subsequent quarters.

The provider told us they operated a dedicated out-of-hours on-call system. Staff who were on call had access to PASS and could document incidents, complete communications records and initiate any immediate actions required. A formal handover process was in place to ensure information was shared with the management team.

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 provider told us pathways and transitions were managed on an individual basis to reflect people’s needs, preferences and circumstances. Referrals were coordinated in partnership with people, families, healthcare professionals and other agencies where consent was in place. Staff maintained contact with people during hospital stays and visited them to provide reassurance and continuity.

The provider worked with people and healthcare partners to understand what being safe meant to them and the best way to achieve that. Staff concentrated 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.

The provider demonstrated a strong understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities and promoted a proactive safeguarding culture. Staff were encouraged to report concerns promptly and to exercise professional curiosity where abuse, neglect or exploitation may be present, however, the staff we spoke to did not fully understand their safeguarding responsibilities and what to do. The provider told us they would carry out more safeguarding training and check for understanding.

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.

The provider told us they promoted positive risk taking and recognised people’s rights to make choices about their lives. Risk assessments were person centred and focused on balancing safety with independence. People and their relatives were involved in risk management decisions where appropriate.

The provider detected and controlled potential risks in the care environment. They made sure equipment, facilities and technology supported the delivery of safe care.

Staff told us they ensured that people’s home environments were clear of clutter and people were safe to move around. A risk assessment was carried out when taking people out of their homes.

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.

The provider told us they maintained a consistent rota to ensure the same care workers attended people’s care. Staff told us they knew people’s needs well as they saw them often.

Relatives of people told us care was provided by a regular, established team.

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.

Staff told us they use hand hygiene and protective clothing to ensure they reduced the risk and spread of infection. Staff received infection prevention and control training.

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.

The provider told us they monitored medicines administration closely; staff recorded medicines administered on the system and encouraged people to take their medicines if they refused. A relative told us staff were effective in supporting their family member to take their medicines as they knew how to encourage them when they refused to take their medicine. This meant medicines was taken in a timely manner and recorded accordingly.