Bluebird Care (Hook) was rated Good across all five key questions following a January 2017 inspection of this domiciliary care service supporting 44 people. The service demonstrated strong personalised care, robust safeguarding, and effective staff development, with only minor recording and governance gaps identified.
Concerns (3)
minor
Record keeping
: “Some of these were up to nine months old, so any learning from them was of limited value.”
minorGovernance: “records were not always available to verify this, they undertook to improve the way they tracked and monitored improvement actions identified by the audits.”
minorConsent / capacity: “The record of the best interest decision was not clear as to whether staff or a family member had made the decision, but the registered manager undertook to clarify and document this correctly.”
Strengths
· People felt safe and trusted staff; safeguarding training was robust and staff understood reporting procedures.
· Comprehensive staff induction including Care Certificate, shadowing, and continuous professional development.
· Highly personalised care plans with detailed individual preferences; technology used to keep staff updated in real time.
· Strong continuity of care through small consistent staff teams, particularly benefiting people living with dementia.
· Proactive health monitoring with prompt referrals to healthcare professionals when needs changed.
Bluebird Care Hook and Kingsclere is a Good-rated domiciliary care agency serving 47 older people, with an Outstanding rating for well-led reflecting exceptional leadership, innovation through technology, and extensive NHS partnership work. No regulatory breaches or failure themes were identified across the inspection.
Strengths
· Exceptional leadership driving innovation through technology, including electronic call monitoring, cloud-based telephony, and health monitoring tools (NEWS vital signs system).
· Outstanding community engagement: social events, charitable grants, community hub, and initiatives to combat social isolation.
· Partnership with NHS Southern Health (IFIT) and 14 GP surgeries (JET Service), achieving an estimated £80,000 NHS saving over five months.
· Strong staff wellbeing culture via Mindful Employer Initiative, counselling, health insurance, and Tai Chi classes, resulting in high retention and low sickness.
· Consistent, flexible staffing with guaranteed continuity of care, including in hard-to-reach rural areas.
Quality-Statement breakdown (26)
safe: Systems and processes to safeguard people from the risk of abuseGood
safe: Assessing risk, safety monitoring and managementGood
safe: Staffing and recruitmentGood
safe: Using medicines safelyGood
safe: Preventing and controlling infectionGood
safe: Learning lessons when things go wrongGood
effective: Assessing people's needs and choices; delivering care in line with standards, guidance and the lawGood
effective: Staff working with other agencies to provide consistent, effective, timely careGood
effective: Supporting people to live healthier lives, access healthcare services and supportGood
effective: Staff support: induction, training, skills and experienceGood
effective: Supporting people to eat and drink enough to maintain a balanced dietGood
effective: Ensuring consent to care and treatment in line with law and guidanceGood
caring: Ensuring people are well treated and supported; respecting equality and diversityGood
caring: Supporting people to express their views and be involved in making decisions about their careGood
caring: Respecting and promoting people's privacy, dignity and independenceGood
responsive: Responding to and meeting people's needs in real timeGood
responsive: Supporting people to avoid social isolation and follow interestsGood
responsive: Meeting people's communication needsGood
responsive: Improving care quality in response to complaints or concernsGood
responsive: End of life care and supportGood
well-led: Working in partnership with othersOutstanding
well-led: Promoting a positive culture that is person-centred, open, inclusive and empoweringOutstanding
well-led: How the provider understands and acts on the duty of candourOutstanding
well-led: Managers and staff being clear about their roles, and understanding quality performance, risks and regulatory requirementsOutstanding
well-led: Engaging and involving people using the service, the public and staff, fully considering their equality characteristicsOutstanding
well-led: Continuous learning and improving careOutstanding