Why Choose Bluebird Care?

What are the benefits of using Bluebird Care as your trusted service provider?

As a care service provider, but unlike some other care companies, Bluebird Care Portsmouth live-in care staff are directly employed by us. This means that they are on our payroll, and we undertake to make all relevant checks on Care Assistants in our employ, including the right to work and an enhanced criminal record (DBS) check.

All our Live-In care Assistants are provided with annual comprehensive training that takes an interactive approach to learning. We also have a personal responsibility to ensure they connect with the customer and have the specific skillset to deliver against their customer's care needs. Live In Care is like a Matchmaking service. The person living with the home care assistant must feel safe and comfortable with the assigned care assistant. Often this is a challenging match. We often tried several different care assistants as we recognise that having somebody in your house could lead to stress and irritation. And this is not good for our customers nor even our care staff. So we ask customers and families to understand this principle. All our carers come from different backgrounds, and we will match what we think would work in the best interest of you and your family or whoever is involved in monitoring care staff. 

If you start with live-in Care, we supervise our staff closely and support them via our local teams. If the match does not work, we will rotate the carer out and replace them within one or two weeks. That flexibility you will not get if you employ a Personal assistant directly. Whatever the level of Care required, our live-in team and the local team will ensure that you have the proper support at all times, providing reassurance for those relying on our service. 

What makes Bluebird Care's live-in care service so effective?

Our commitment to our care staff and customers is ongoing, with feedback actively welcomed. Alongside our pledge to professionalism, we also implement the following:
 

- Regular Reviews

All of our customers' care plans are reviewed regularly and adapted accordingly. In the first few months of a care plan, we closely monitor the relationship between the care assistant and customer; we realise that not all characters can gel as well as we would predict, and we strive to find the fitting complement for each customer. We also encourage customer feedback and actively encourage customers to let us know if the standards of Care they expect still need to be achieved so that we can resolve them with immediate effect.

- Quality Assurance

We will always ensure that all our Live-in Care Assistants can do the required work. We pride ourselves on going above and beyond the call of duty when delivering quality care, ensuring you are actively involved in creating your care plan.

Our commitment to quality assurance is at the core of our care service. In the beginning, our supervisors ensure that the correct moving and handling procedures are adhered to and that every single live-in care assistant can perform their daily tasks as required. In some instances, shadowing can be beneficial for perfecting practical techniques. We will always send our trainers out to show new staff members the correct application of procedures if required, so you can rest assured that all your needs will be met with the utmost professionalism.

- Accredited Care Staff

Every Live-in Care Assistant at Bluebird Care has participated in our accredited training programme, ensuring that high standards are maintained and retained from the outset. We can provide complete customer care and risk assessment within 24 hours. We will create an individual customer care and support plan, which will be reviewed and updated regularly.

Each live-in care plan is created with the utmost discretion and dignity, providing daily support and nightly reassurance for the customer. The focus is on each Live-In Care Assistant aiding when required and being unobtrusive when their presence is unnecessary.

Should I employ a carer directly?

If you hire someone to carry out Care and support for you at home – paid by you personally or with direct payments – you may legally be classed as an employer. This brings with it specific responsibilities, such as, but not limited to:

· Registering as an employer with HMRC

· Carrying out employee checks to ensure they have a legal right to work

· Operating PAYE, where applicable, to pay their salary

· Adhering to working time regulations and paid holidays

· Providing statutory sick pay

· Taking out employers' liability insurance

Whilst at first view, this might be more attractive for financial reasons, often when illness or holiday cover is needed, you will find it challenging to source another carer. Also, from experience, a personal assistant might be viewed as a beneficiary due to more direct personal involvement, but this can backfire as well, as it could cover up other problems like neglect, abuse etc. This will only be spotted if you have a team of carers who regularly rotate in and out. 

Emotional attachment is suitable to a certain degree. Still, decisions often need to be taken rationally and in the best interest of our customers and their beloved involved.