- Homecare service
Bluebird Care (Stockton and Hartlepool)
Assessment report published 16 June 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
We carried out our assessment of this service between 17 April and 8 May 2026. The assessment was carried out because the service had been registered for over 12 months and had not yet been assessed and rated.
Bluebird Care (Stockton and Hartlepool) provide care to people living in their own home. They are registered to provide care to people living with dementia, people with sensory impairment, physical disabilities, and mental health conditions.
Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is to help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided. At the time of the assessment there were 7 people receiving personal care.
The provider was committed to providing a non-discriminatory and inclusive approach within the service, both for people using the service and staff. They were committed to ensuring they met the needs and expectations of people, through a person-centred approach.
The provider had a robust assessment process, which involved people, and where appropriate their family members or advocates. Detailed and person-centred care plans were created to help guide staff when supporting people. Care plans included information on how to safely manage risk.
People’s needs were met by a consistent team of staff who had undergone a safe recruitment process. People were given choice wherever possible and consent was obtained when staff were providing support. Where people lacked capacity to make informed decisions, best interest decisions were made and documented.
People’s needs were regularly reviewed, and staff liaised with other professionals to promote people’s health and well-being.
Staff had the necessary training to support people’s individual needs and felt confident in asking for additional training if they felt it necessary. They received regular support through supervision, appraisals and meetings. Staff spoke very positively of the support they received from the provider.
The provider had robust governance and audit systems in place to ensure good oversight of the service. They had developed a positive culture of mutual respect between management, staff and people who used the service. They were committed to developing a high standard of care and were focusedon embedding good practice before growing the service.
People's experience of this service
People using the service and their relatives described positive experiences of care that was person centred, kind and responsive to their needs. People told us they felt safe with staff, trusting them to provide care in a way that respected their wishes and supported their wellbeing. People did not feel rushed by staff and felt all their needs were met during visits. One person told us, “The staff are so kind and caring. [Staff] do whatever is needed and show their concern. We have a good laugh.” A relative said, “[Staff] are very good. They give [my family member] their medicines, shower and dress them and make sure that they are settled and safe before they leave.”
People’s needs were assessed before they used the service to ensure their care reflected their needs, preferences and wishes. A relative told us, “A care plan is in place and when it was put in place they went through everything with [family].”
People received their care from a regular staff team who knew their needs well. A person told us, “I normally get the same 2 main carers, so I know who’s coming.” Staff were generally on time for calls and people told us the provider was flexible if call times needed to be changed.
Staff treated people with respect and maintained their dignity when providing their care. A person told us, “I don’t feel embarrassed about showering. They are good at what they do, and I have a good giggle with them.” A relative told us, “They are very caring.”
People and their relatives had opportunities to share their views about the service, and these were acted on. A relative told us, “They get feedback from us when they phone us.” People knew how to make a complaint and were confident the provider would respond appropriately to any concerns they had. A relative told us, “When we signed up with them, we were given a pack which contains the complaints procedure.”