Bluebird Care (Thurrock and Castlepoint) provides personal care and support to people in their own homes. This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats and specialist housing. It provides a service to older people and younger disabled adults.

The inspection was carried out on 4 September, 8 and 9 November 2017. At the time of the inspection there were 29 people who used the service.

The service had a registered manager in post. 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.

Staff had a good understanding and knowledge of safeguarding procedures and were clear about the actions they would take to protect the people they supported. Risks to people’s health and wellbeing were appropriately assessed and managed to ensure their safety.

There were sufficient numbers of staff available to meet people’s needs. Appropriate recruitment checks were in place which helped to protect people and ensure staff were suitable to work at the service. Staff told us they felt well supported in their role and were supervised at regular intervals.

Support plans were sufficiently detailed and provided an accurate description of people’s care and support needs. People were supported to maintain good healthcare and had access to a range of healthcare services. People were supported to be able to eat and drink satisfactory amounts to meet their nutritional and hydration needs.

Staff understood the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Staff demonstrated how to apply the principles of this legislation to their everyday practice and to help ensure that peoples’ rights were protected.

People were treated with kindness and respect by staff. Staff understood people’s needs and provided care and support accordingly. Staff had a good relationship and rapport with the people they supported. People told us they were treated with respect and dignity.

An effective system was available to respond to complaints and concerns. The provider’s quality assurance arrangements ensured they provided a good quality service and to meet regulatory requirements.

Bluebird Care Thurrock and Castlepoint provides personal care and support to people in their own homes.

The inspection was completed on 8 July 2016, 11 July 2016, 26 July 2016 and 15 August 2016. At the time of the inspection there were 22 people who used the service.

The service did not have a registered manager in post. At the time of the inspection the manager confirmed that an application to be formally registered with the Care Quality Commission had been submitted and they were awaiting confirmation of their ‘fit person’ interview. 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.

The management of medicines within the service required improvement so as to ensure that people received their prescribed medication as they should and ensure people’s safety.

Appropriate arrangements were not in place to manage all identified risks to a person’s safety and improvements were required. Although support plans were sufficiently detailed and provided an accurate description of people’s care and support needs, support plans were not in place for all people using the service.

Staff had a good understanding and knowledge of safeguarding procedures and were clear about the actions they would take to protect the people they supported.

There were sufficient numbers of staff available to meet people’s needs. Appropriate recruitment checks were in place which helped to protect people and ensure staff were suitable to work at the service. Staff told us that they felt well supported in their role and received regular supervision.

Staff understood the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Staff demonstrated how to apply the principles of this legislation to their everyday practice and to help ensure that peoples’ rights were protected.

People were treated with care and kindness. Staff understood people’s needs and provided care and support accordingly. People said that staff had a good relationship and rapport with them. People were treated with dignity and respect at all times. People were supported to be able to eat and drink satisfactory amounts to meet their nutritional and hydration needs. People’s day-to-day healthcare needs were met.