We conducted an inspection of Bluebird Care Docklands, Stratford and Wapping on 20 June 2018. This was our first inspection of the service.

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care for people living in their own houses and flats in the community. At the time of the inspection the service was supporting 28 people. Not everyone using Bluebird Care receives a 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.

There was a registered manager at the service. 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.

Care records contained a good level of information about people’s nutritional and healthcare needs. Where further instructions were necessary for the provision of effective care, we found these were clearly contained within people’s care records.

Quality assurance systems were thorough and supported the delivery of good care. The provider used an electronic monitoring system to monitor daily care and conducted surveys of people’s views every six months.

Staff had a good understanding of their responsibilities under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). Where necessary, care records contained specific mental capacity assessments and decisions were made appropriately, in people’s best interests.

People gave good feedback about their care workers and told us they were kind and respectful.

Care records contained clear guidelines for care staff in managing risks to people’s safety as well as details of their personal preferences in how they wanted their care to be delivered. Care staff demonstrated a good understanding of risks to people’s care as well as their likes and dislikes in relation to care delivery.

People told us they felt safe receiving care from the service. Care workers had a good understanding of the safeguarding policy and procedure that was in place and demonstrated a good understanding of the typical signs of abuse.

The person we spoke with and relatives told us they were involved in decisions about their care and how their needs were met.

The provider conducted appropriate pre-employment checks to make safer recruitment decisions. The registered manager ensured there were enough suitable staff working to support people.

The provider had an appropriate complaints procedure in place.

The provider supported care workers in their roles through providing appropriate training and ongoing supervisions and appraisals of their performance. There was an induction programme for new staff as well as a supportive probation period to ensure they were competent to begin working independently with people.

Care workers had a good understanding of infection control and had received appropriate training.