Bluebird Care (Cherwell)

Updated 5 March 2019

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.

This inspection took place on 15 and 16 January 2019 and was announced. The inspection team consisted of an inspector and one 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.

We told the provider two days before our visit that we would be coming. We did this because the registered manager is sometimes out of the office supporting staff or visiting people who use the service. We needed to be sure that someone would be in.

Before the inspection we reviewed the information we held about the service and the service provider. The provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). The PIR is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and what improvements they plan to make. We looked at notifications received from the provider. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to tell us about by law. This ensured we were addressing any areas of concern. We received feedback from two social and health care professionals who regularly visited people who received care from the service. We also reviewed the provider’s previous inspection report.

We spoke with 10 people and four relatives. We looked at four people’s care records and four medicine administration records (MAR). We spoke with the provider, the registered manager and six care staff. We reviewed a range of records relating to the management of the service. These included six staff files, quality assurance audits, staff communication letters, incident reports, complaints and compliments. In addition, we reviewed feedback from people who had used the service and their relatives.

Updated 5 March 2019

We inspected Bluebird Care Cherwell on 15 and 16 January 2019 and the inspection was announced.

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes in Bicester and the surrounding areas. It provides a service to older adults some living with dementia, physical disabilities, sensory impairments and younger adults. Not everyone using Bluebird Care receives regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided. On the day of the inspection the service was supporting 74 people.

There was a registered manager in place. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

At the last inspection, the service was rated Good.

At this inspection, the service had made significant improvements and has been rated overall outstanding.

Why have we rated this service as Outstanding?

People were valued and respected as individuals allowing them to be partners in their care. There was an exceptionally strong ethos within the service of treating people with dignity and respect. People were at the forefront of the service delivery and the provider was committed to and passionate about providing a high-quality service.

We received exceptionally positive feedback from all people and relatives. The feedback reflected staff were very kind, caring and committed. People complimented the continuity of care provided by regular staff which contributed to building of meaningful relationships. Staff exceeded in recognising what was important to people and ensured individually tailored approach that met people's personal needs, wishes and preferences was delivered. There was evidence the staff often went 'the extra mile' to meet people's needs.

People and relatives, without exception said they had and would definitely recommend Bluebird Care to families and friends. Staff told us most of the referrals to the service were through word of mouth.

People's confidentiality was maintained at all times and the registered manager explored innovative approaches to ensure where the information was needed to be shared this was done in a secure and safe way. Staff always took time to support people to be independent and improve their well-being. The use of electronic records and care planning documentation allowed staff spending less time on the paperwork and meant staff were able to spend more quality time with people delivering a high-quality care.

Bluebird Care was very well-led which resulted in provision of outstanding care. The service had a clear management and staffing structure in place. Office staff and care staff worked well as a team. Staff aimed to provide a high quality of service and they had a sense of pride working at the service.

The leadership, governance and culture were used to drive and improve high-quality, person-centre care. The provider had effective systems in place to monitor the quality and safety of the service that included the use of technology. There was evidence available where an area for improvement had been identified, a prompt action was taken to address it. Actions from the audits were used to further develop the service. The registered manager monitored service delivery on ongoing basis and effectively used feedback from people, relatives and staff to improve the systems, practices and people's experiences.

The provider, management team and staff developed, promoted and implemented innovative ways of involving people in developing high-quality and outstanding practice that was sustained over time. The service growth was steered by people’s changing needs. The provider continually sought training opportunities for staff to ensure they could still provide excellent care. This meant continuity of care was guaranteed over time as staff could continue to meet people’s changing needs.

The service was an integral part of the local community. The team developed various community links that reflected the changing needs and preferences of the people who used the service. Staff were passionate about exploring community initiatives and new ideas. They had created positive links and a strong community presence within the local area most of it in their own time. People talked about how this involvement had impacted positively on their increased well-being.

Bluebird Care had an excellent workplace culture for staff. Staff were highly valued by the provider and management team. Staff contributions were highly appreciated and celebrated. Staff told us they were proud to work at the service and called it a family business. Staff told us they felt part of the family and spoke very highly about the support they received and how they were encouraged to be fully involved in the development of the service.

The service continued to provide safe care to people. People told us they felt safe receiving care from Bluebird Care. Staff had received training in safeguarding adults and understood their responsibilities to identify and report any concerns. The provider had safe recruitment and selection processes in place, these included completing checks to make sure new staff were safe to work with vulnerable adults.

Staff demonstrated they understood how to keep people safe and records showed that risks to people's safety and well-being were managed through a risk management process. There were sufficient staff deployed to meet people's needs. Medicines were managed safely and people received their medicines as prescribed.

People continued to receive effective care from staff who had the skills and knowledge to support them. People were supported to have choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the procedures in the service supported this practice. People were supported to maintain good health and to meet their nutritional needs.

The service continued to be responsive. People received personalised care by staff who understood people's individual needs and preferences. People's changing needs were responded to appropriately. The service was flexible and supported people to attend social events and prevent social isolation. People knew how to complain and complaints were dealt with in line with the provider’s complaints policy. Staff knew how to support people during end of life care.

Bluebird Care worked well in partnership with other agencies, social and health professionals and external organisations.