Bluebird Care (Eastbourne & Wealden)

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 requires improvement. At this assessment the rating has changed to 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 were supported in a person-centred way with their needs and wishes respected by staff. Once a package of care was set up following the full assessment completed by the registered manager or office manager. The support was allocated to a small team of staff under the supervision of a care-supervisor. All staff worked alongside either a manager or supervisor before they worked alone. In this way people and staff got to know each other well and people always knew the staff visiting them. Staff told us they were not rushing and so were able to gain a deep understanding of people and often their family. One staff member told us, “We have good relationship with the family, they treat you as family too they are pleased to see you. We are welcomed and respected and this works vice versa.”

This person-centred approach was recorded within the care plans. There was detail on how and what people wanted as part of their care and support. For example, they reflected individual preference on the use of toiletries.

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 and relatives told us care and support was tailored to people’s individual need, and they valued the way they had a small team of staff allocated to them. One person said, “I have regular [staff], so they get to know me.”

Staff enjoyed working with regular people within small teams. This along with effective systems for communication between staff and the management promoted the continuity of care and support provided.

Care plans were used to inform the care, and any updates were shared with the staff on a password protected messaging service. Staff also came to the office to read updated care plans for the people they looked after to keep appraised of any changes. Staff told us, “Communication between us all has improved greatly. We now have good regular verbal communication along with communicating using IT. This ties us all together; systems are in place to share information that keeps us all in the loop.”

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

People’s communication needs were assessed during their initial assessment process and care plans recorded how best to communicate with people. This included information on what equipment was used to support communication for example, hearing aids and glasses. Some people liked to communicate in different ways. For example, one person had poor hearing and so email was the most effective way to communicate with them. Staff explained, “If staff were running late, we would not telephone, we would send an email as they check their emails for any communication.”

Information on the service was provided to all people using the service along with a contract. People were provided with a schedule of staff attending on a weekly basis. These were posted or emailed depending on individual preference. If they were not received staff ensured this information was shared with them. This included visiting staff writing the schedule down for them if needed.

The provider made it easy for people to share feedback and ideas, or raise complaints about their care, treatment and support. Staff involved people in decisions about their care and told them what had changed as a result.

People and their relatives told us they were able to feedback any concerns or issues either directly to their care staff or by contacting the office.People knew who the managers were and felt confident to talk with them directly. One person told us, “I would go to one of the managers with any concern. I had a concern a long time ago. I didn’t get on with one carer, I raised it, and it was resolved.”

Records confirmed complaints received were documented along with action taken to investigate and resolve any complaint. Staff were positive about encouraging people to share any concern with them or the office staff. “We always listen to people’s views and concerns are passed quickly to the office staff to deal with.”

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

There were positive working relationships achieved between the agency staff and local health and social care services. This ensured people received appropriate care and support. The managers were proactive in contacting professionals for support and advice and to ensure any access to services available were followed up. For example, the availability of any equipment to support people in their own homes was given a high priority. A visiting professional confirmed the joint working to support people with new equipment was effective and visits were undertaken together to support this way of working.

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.

The managers and staff respected people’s differences and tailored their care and support to respond to these different needs and wishes. Visits were matched to people’s preferences and adjusted, if possible, to respond to any requests that may include social events, other significant dates including health appointments. The managers ensured the right amount of time was allocated to visits to ensure staff were not rushed and were able to ensure their needs were met. Staff told us, “We have plenty of time with people.”

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.

The assessment process took account of people’s wishes at the end of their life’s. People were given the opportunity to discuss their own wishes in a careful and respectful way.The registered manager said, “I spend time with people and discuss end of life wishes.with people when they want to. We do not rush these conversations.” Not everyone was prepared or ready to talk about end-of-life care and this was respected.

ReSPECT (Recommended Summary Plan for Emergency Care and Treatment) forms were used to start conversations and record any decisions made. Following this process created personalised recommendations to inform health care professionals about people’s wishes. The location of this form was recorded within the care plan to ensure available if needed in an emergency. Other individual wishes around people’s choices around end-of-life care were recorded within the care plan. For example, funeral arrangements.

Staff undertook training on end-of-life care and links had been established with the local hospice team to ensure appropriate support and further training when needed.