This comprehensive inspection took place on 8 and 9 May 2018 and was announced. The provider was given 48 hours’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure the registered manager would be available for the inspection. It also allowed us to arrange to telephone and visit people receiving a service in their own homes. This was the first inspection since the provider registered at their new address in Honiton in January 2017.

Bluebird Care East Devon is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to older adults and younger disabled adults in Honiton, Ottery St Mary, Sidmouth, Seaton, and surrounding areas. The provider is W & S Flint Services Limited, a husband and wife team who runs three branches of the agency in the Devon area. At the time of the inspection the branch provided personal care to about 42 people and employed 40 staff, known as Devon Bluebirds.

The inspection was carried out by an adult social care 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 services for older people.

The service had a registered manager. 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.

People and relatives praised staff as exceptionally caring and compassionate. People were partners in their care. Their views, experience and contributions were sought and valued. The agency had a strong, visible person centred culture. People were at the heart of everything they did, they were made to feel valued and that they mattered. The service went that extra mile to exceed people’s expectations of the service. For example, they held a monthly wellbeing programme to get people out socialising, having new experiences and having some exercise. Feedback showed this significantly improved people’s physical and emotional wellbeing and reduced their risk of isolation.

People were supported in innovative ways, to be proactively involved in making decisions about their care, treatment and support. For example, the provider undertook a ‘Talk Care’ campaign to promote a conversation about care that was positive, informative, open-minded and inclusive. They made a series of informative short videos of conversations with health and social care representatives to highlight key things people needed to know about care. These included the importance of planning ahead for care, options for care, and simple explanations about lasting power of attorney, benefits and paying for care. These were posted on social media which enabled people and families to be better informed about care options and what was important in planning their care.

The service had embraced the possibilities of using technology in innovative ways to improve the quality of people’s care and to enable them to stay living at home for longer. The service had explored possibilities of using sensor technology by working with a specialist provider to pilot its use to assist families to support and monitor a person’s wellbeing. For example, data about frequent trips to the bathroom highlighted early signs of a urine infection for one person. This led to them being seen earlier by their GP and antibiotic treatment started, which helped them recover more quickly. An electronic computer record system meant staff could read new people’s care records before they visited, and follow up any health concerns. The system quickly highlighted when a person’s needs changed, so their care needs could be reviewed. Other benefits included health professionals and relatives being able to access parts of the system, with the person’s consent.

The service worked in partnership with local