Bluebird Care Mendip

Updated 31 August 2019

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:

The inspection was carried out by one inspector and an expert by experience who made telephone calls to people who received personal care. 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:

Bluebird Care (Mendip) is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means 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:

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

Inspection site visit activity started on 24 June 2019 and finished on 26 June 2019. We visited the office location on 24 June 2019. On 26 June 2019 we visited people in their homes and spoke with care workers.

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.

During the inspection

We visited four people who used the service and spoke with 12 people and three relatives over the phone about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with eight members of staff including the provider, registered manager, clinical lead and care staff.

We reviewed a range of records. This included four people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

Updated 31 August 2019

About the service

Bluebird Care (Mendip) is a domiciliary care service providing personal care and support for people living in their own homes in the Mendip area of Somerset. At the time of the inspection they were providing personal care for 65 people. Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC 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

The provider for Bluebird Care (Mendip) refers to their care staff as ‘care professionals’, this is because the provider respects their level of expertise and the training they have undertaken. However, for the benefit of this report we will refer to care professionals as care staff.

People were supported by a service that was extremely well led and a management team that was passionate about providing high-quality person-centred care for people living in the community. There was an emphasis on including and empowering people to maintain control over their lives and to lead decisions about their care package. Care plans were outcome focused and looked at what people wanted to achieve.

Bluebird Care (Mendip) went over and above what was expected of a community care provider. They had looked at ways of reducing social isolation for people without it having a financial impact on them. For example, they had arranged trips out, parties, musical entertainment and a book club. Staff had taken part in fundraising events in their own time, to ensure the activities provided were fully funded. This had had a positive impact on some people’s lives. Where possible the service ensured people and care staff were matched to support people in continuing with personal interests and hobbies.

The management team worked closely with other organisations to improve the experience of people receiving care and support in their own homes. This had led to the service providing a health and wellbeing check on behalf of medical professionals and a toe nail cutting service following feedback from people.

People told us they felt safe and looked forward to the visits they had from care staff. One person said, “I look forward to them [care staff] coming they are like my family.”

People received effective care and support from staff who were exceptionally well trained. The provider and registered manager promoted social care as a career and supported staff to progress in care to become social workers or qualitied nurses.

Staff morale was very high, and this was reflected in the high standard of care provided. Staff were listened to and their opinions were valued. People said that all the staff they met were, “Professional,” “Caring” and “Well trained.”

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.

There were quality assurance systems which monitored standards and ensured any shortfalls were

addressed. People and care staff felt listened to and said they could speak with a member of the management team at any time. Any complaints made were fully investigated and treated as learning to enable the service to improve.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was Good (published 23 December 2016)

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.