Bluebird Care Durham North

Updated 29 June 2022

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out 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 homes.

Registered Manager

This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. 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. At the time of our inspection there was no registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

We gave a short notice period of the inspection because we needed to be sure that the provider would be in the office to support the inspection. Inspection activity started on 29 March 2022 and ended on 11 May 2022. We visited the location's office on 29 March 2022.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

An Expert by Experience spoke with four people who use the service and three relatives on 6 April 2022.

We spoke with the nominated individual who was also one of the directors. A nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider. We spoke with another director who was also the office and recruitment manager and a care co-ordinator.

We reviewed three people's care plans and risk assessments, medicines records, three staff recruitment files, quality monitoring records and COVID-19 risk assessments.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at quality checks and recruitment practices.

Updated 29 June 2022

About the service

Bluebird Care Durham North is a new service registered to provide support to people living in their own homes in County Durham. The service is registered to provide personal care to both younger and older people, including those living with sensory impairments, dementia, mental health issues, physical disabilities and a learning disability or autistic spectrum disorder.

Not everyone using Bluebird Care Durham North receives a regulated activity. CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with 'personal care.' This is 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 our inspection Bluebird Care Durham North were supporting eight people with the regulated activity of 'personal care.'

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People and relatives spoke positively about Bluebird Care Durham North. People felt safe with the staff who supported them. They received good care from a consistent staff team who arrived on time, were professional and communicated effectively. Calls lasted for the correct duration.

Recruitment procedures were mostly safe and effective, but some background checks had not been documented thoroughly. We have made a recommendation around recruitment records.

Systems to monitor the quality of care and support provided were mostly effective. We have made a recommendation around the auditing of medicines.

People were supported by kind and caring staff. People and relatives told us they were treated with respect and dignity. Staff supported people in a compassionate manner and encouraged people's independence.

Risks were identified and managed appropriately. There were enough staff to meet people's needs and people were protected from the risk of abuse. Staff had been trained in infection prevention and control and used personal protective equipment to help keep people safe.

Staff had the skills and knowledge to carry out their role effectively. Staff training in relevant areas was up to date.

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.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right Support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.

The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of right support, right care, right culture. People were provided with the right support which enabled them to make choices and promoted their independence. People received the right care that was provided in a person-centred way which promoted their dignity. The service provided the right culture for people in an environment where they were included and empowered by care staff.

Care records were person-centred and reflected people's current needs. People were involved in decisions about their care. Staff were aware of people's communication needs and how best to support them. People's concerns and complaints were dealt with promptly and consideration was given to how improvements were made.

People's views and opinions of the service were sought and acted on. People told us the service was well managed.

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 under the previous provider was good (published 3 February 2018). This was the first inspection of this service since it has been operated by Foveri Limited.

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.