Blue Fountain Care Limited

On this page

• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

Caring – this means we looked for evidence that the provider involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect. This is the first assessment for this newly registered service. This key question has been rated outstanding. This meant people were truly respected and valued as individuals; and empowered as partners in their care in an exceptional service.

This service scored 90 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The provider demonstrated an exceptional and deeply embedded culture of kindness, compassion and dignity, with staff consistently going above and beyond to meet both the emotional and physical needs of people. People described care as warm, respectful and emotionally supportive, with strong, trusting relationships evident. One person told us, “The carers make me feel lovely; they are so kind and we have so much fun together,” while another said staff “always explain what they are doing, cover me properly and make me feel completely in control.” Staff showed outstanding sensitivity to emotional wellbeing; for example, when one person became very frightened during a thunderstorm, staff voluntarily stayed beyond the end of their shift to reassure them and did not leave until the storm had passed, ensuring the person felt safe and calm.

Care was highly personalised and innovative in responding to individual preferences and needs. In one example, a member of staff noticed a person preferred very cold drinks but was not drinking enough; they bought an insulated double‑wall tumbler to keep drinks cold. This simple but thoughtful adjustment resulted in the person drinking more, which improved hydration and reduced constipation. Staff also demonstrated commitment to promoting wellbeing and motivation; when a person needed to lose weight to be eligible for surgery, carers changed into their trainers and completed daily exercises alongside them. This encouragement and shared involvement significantly increased the person’s engagement, leading to consistent weight loss and making surgery, as well as a healthier lifestyle, a realistic possibility.

The service also showed openness to feedback and a strong focus on dignity and independence. One relative told us, “My family member is happy with the carers… I think that the carers could spend more time with my family member and encourage her independence,” and the provider responded by reinforcing independence‑promoting practices. Observations confirmed staff always respected privacy by knocking on people’s doors before entering, closing doors and curtains, and using respectful language, while also supporting people to be actively involved in daily tasks. Families described carers as “very kind, reassuring and excellent with dignity,” particularly during distressing situations. The impact of these approaches was clear: people felt valued, safe and emotionally supported, anxiety was reduced, health outcomes improved, and relatives had exceptional confidence in the care provided.

The provider always treated people as individuals and delivered person centred care. Care plans were detailed and reflected people’s histories, preferences, routines and communication needs, including what a good day looked like and what mattered most to them. Staff knew people well and spoke confidently about their likes, dislikes and life stories, such as favourite foods, hobbies and daily routines. One person said, “They know me so well and are very good at anticipating my needs.”

Staff adapted their approach to support people’s identity and emotional wellbeing, for example spending time talking about past careers, watching favourite programmes or supporting meaningful social activities. While most feedback was very positive, a small number of relatives felt independence could be encouraged more consistently at times. Overall, people felt known, respected and valued as individuals.

The provider always supported people to have choice and control over their care. Staff routinely sought consent, explained tasks clearly and involved people in decisions about their daily routines, personal care and meals. People told us carers respected their wishes and adapted care to their preferences. One person explained, “They always ask and explain what they are doing, and I feel in charge.”

Care plans and staff practice showed a commitment to least restrictive approaches, including supporting people to continue activities that mattered to them while managing risk appropriately. People were consistently listened to and supported to make choices.

However, some relatives noted that independence could be promoted more actively on occasions, particularly during everyday tasks.

The provider was exceptional at responding to people’s immediate and changing needs, demonstrating flexibility, initiative and highly person‑centred care. Staff were extremely attentive to changes in people’s physical and emotional wellbeing and acted promptly to escalate concerns. Families consistently described staff as “very responsive,” with one relative telling us, “If the carers have any concerns, they contact the office straight away and the district nurse is involved.” Staff took swift, practical action, such as adjusting visit times, collecting urgent medicines and staying with people during incidents to ensure they felt safe and supported.

Care was delivered seamlessly across settings. In one example, staff continued to provide care alongside hospital staff when a person was admitted, maintaining familiar routines, supporting communication with professionals and offering reassurance and companionship. This continuity reduced anxiety and gave the person confidence at a time of distress. Staff also showed exceptional responsiveness in enabling one person with complex needs to live independently in her own flat. They adapted how care was delivered, responded flexibly to fluctuating mobility needs and adjusted communication methods, such as slowing conversations and using clear prompts, to ensure the person could fully participate in decisions about her care. The impact of these approaches was significant: people felt listened to, safe and confident, transitions were smooth, and outcomes such as independence, emotional wellbeing and quality of life were notably improved.

The provider was exceptional at supporting workforce wellbeing and creating a culture where staff felt valued and enabled to deliver high‑quality care. Staff consistently spoke positively about the support they received, with one telling us, “This is the best organisation I have worked for. I feel supported and appreciated.” The provider demonstrated a strong and proactive commitment to staff welfare through innovative and practical support systems. For example, staff had access to an interest‑free loan scheme and a pool of 15 shared vehicles, meaning they did not have to rely on their own cars, walk long distances or use public transport in poor weather; fuel costs were also covered so staff were not out of pocket. Staff recruited from overseas were supported to settle into the country, including free accommodation for their first month, help registering with GPs, opening bank accounts, arranging council tax and enrolling their children in school. Staff were also supported to maintain family connections, including paid annual leave to travel to their home countries.

The provider showed exceptional responsiveness to individual staff needs, including sourcing essential furniture for staff in need and regularly checking workloads to ensure safe staffing levels and that staff had at least two days off each week. Staff described managers as approachable, visible and genuinely caring, providing emotional and practical support during difficult times. Training, supervision and spot checks were used to support development, and staff felt confident to raise concerns without fear of blame.

The impact of this strong, values‑driven culture was significant. Staff were motivated, loyal and able to focus on delivering compassionate, consistent and person‑centred care. High levels of wellbeing and support contributed directly to better outcomes for people, continuity of care and a service that consistently went above and beyond, demonstrating outstanding leadership and workforce engagement.