• Services in your home
  • Homecare service

Bluebird Care Oxford

Overall: Outstanding read more about inspection ratings

CMS House, Watlington Road, Cowley, Oxford, OX4 6BZ (01491) 837940

Provided and run by:
Mezo Burton Limited

All Inspections

During an assessment under our new approach

Date of assessment: 25 November to 11 December 2025. The service is a care at home service providing support to adults of all ages. Some people may be living with dementia, mental health conditions and physical disabilities.

Safety was prioritised through proactive systems and a strong learning culture. Staff demonstrated exceptional vigilance and professionalism, ensuring people were protected from harm. Robust safeguarding, detailed risk assessments, and innovative solutions were in place. This included high-risk alerts and countersigning medication changes. These examples showcased a commitment to excellence. People told us they felt completely safe and supported, and staff described a warm and positive culture.

People received support that was safe, effective, and compassionate, delivered by a team that was motivated, skilled, and committed to excellence. The provider’s focus on innovation, learning, and partnership working ensured people experienced care that was exceptional.

Assessments were holistic, dynamic, and deeply person-centred, ensuring care remained relevant and proactive. Evidence-based practice was embedded throughout, supported by digital systems and multidisciplinary collaboration. People consistently achieved outcomes that went beyond expectations, such as maintaining independence, preventing hospital admissions, and improving emotional wellbeing. Feedback described the service as “Exceptional and distinctive.”

The service exceled in treating people with dignity, compassion, and respect. Staff described how they went above and beyond to make people feel valued and empowered. Care was highly personalised and promoted independence and emotional wellbeing. People described staff as “like friends” and said they would “definitely recommend” the service. Families praised carers for their kindness and commitment, sharing examples of staff attending funerals and providing comfort during difficult times. This culture of kindness and respect was embedded across the organisation.

Care was flexible, person-centred, and tailored to individual needs. Staff responded promptly and adapted to changes, ensuring people’s preferences and communication needs were met. Continuity of care was prioritised, and people felt listened to and involved in decisions. Complaints were rare, but resolved quickly. Planning for future needs, including end-of-life care, was handled with sensitivity and respect.

Leadership was exceptional and visionary. Leaders inspired a culture of openness, inclusion, and continuous improvement. Governance systems were robust and innovative, using real-time digital dashboards and quality improvement plans to maintain high standards. Workforce wellbeing was prioritised, and staff felt proud and empowered, saying, “We are so well trained, we don’t compromise on quality.” The provider demonstrated strong leadership, influencing workforce development and challenging negative perceptions of care through community engagement and education initiatives.

25 October 2017

During a routine inspection

Bluebird Care (South Oxfordshire) is a domiciliary care service supporting people with personal care in their own homes. At the time of the inspection there were 59 people being supported by the service.

At our inspection in August 2015 the service was rated Good. At this inspection on 25 October 2017 the service remained Good.

The provider and registered manager promoted a culture that respected and valued everyone. The provider looked for ways to continually improve the quality of care and ensured they met the fundamental standards of care.

People were supported by staff who understood their responsibilities to manage risks and report concerns where there were any issues relating to people's safety. Medicines were managed safely. Care calls were monitored to ensure people did not experience missed visits.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Staff were positive about the support and development opportunities they received. The provider ensured staff had the skills and knowledge to meet people's needs.

Staff had a caring approach to their work and understood the importance of treating people with dignity and respect. People were involved in their care and told us they were listened to.

People and relatives had developed positive relationships with care staff and management. People's care record's reflected their individual preferences and gave staff clear guidance about how people's needs were met.

Complaints were responded to in an open and transparent way, in line with the providers policy.

There were effective systems to monitor and improve the service, which included systems to gather people's feedback about the service.

13 August 2015

During a routine inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

The provider was given 48 hours notice of our intention to inspect the service. This is in line with our current methodology for inspecting domiciliary care agencies.

Bluebird Care provides domiciliary care services to people who live in their own home. At the time of our inspection there were 47 people with a variety of care needs, including people with physical disabilities and mental health needs, using the service.

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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

Everyone we spoke with was complimentary about the service. People praised the care staff and valued having regular care staff that enabled them to build caring relationships. People spoke positively about the management of the service.

There was a positive caring culture, promoted by the management team. Staff were passionate about providing high quality care and clearly enjoyed their work. Staff felt supported by the management team, describing them as open and approachable.

Staff were knowledgeable about the people they supported and had access to development opportunities to improve their skills. Staff received specific training where it was required to support individual needs. 

People's needs were assessed and where any risks were identified, management plans were in place. People were supported in a way that recognised their rights to take risks.

There were systems in place to enable the service to gather feedback from people. Quality assurance systems were in place to enable the service to identify areas for improvement.

We have made a recommendation about the Mental Capacity Act.