Background to this inspection
Updated
1 December 2021
The inspection
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
Inspection team
This inspection was conducted 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
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats and specialist housing. 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.
Notice of inspection
This inspection was unannounced. Inspection activity started on 26 October 2021 and ended on 12 November 2021. We visited the office location on 27 October 2021.
What we did before the inspection
We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We reviewed information we had received about the service since it was registered. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
During the inspection visit we spoke with the branch manager and the registered manager. We looked at a range of care records, including six staff recruitment files, and a variety of records relating to medicines support and the management of the service.
After the inspection
We spoke with three care staff, seven people who used the service and relatives of three other people who used the service. We looked at training and service management information. We spoke obtained feedback from three health and social care professionals who had worked with the service.
Updated
1 December 2021
About the service
Bluebird Care (Northwood & Ruislip) is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care and support to people in their own homes. At the time of the inspection the agency was supporting 52 people. Not everyone who used the service received personal care. The Care Quality Commission only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People told us they felt safe, treated with dignity and respect and supported by staff who were caring. People said their care needs were met. Their care plans were developed with them and set out their likes, care preferences and communication needs. People were supported with their medicines safely.
Staff received regular training, supervision and competency checks. This included safeguarding adults training and staff knew how to report potential abuse concerns. They felt supported in their roles. The registered manager made sure there were enough staff to support people.
There were systems in place to monitor the quality of the service and recognise when improvements were required. People and staff were asked to give feedback about the service. People and their relatives knew how to make complaints and managers responded to these.
The service worked in partnership with other professionals to meet people’s needs and help them to access healthcare services.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
This service was registered with us on 28 May 2020 and this was the first inspection.
Why we inspected
We inspected this service in line with our inspection methodology based on the date of registration.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.