Bluebird Care (Stockton and Hartlepool)

On this page

• Overview
• Shared direction and culture
• Capable, compassionate and inclusive leaders
• Freedom to speak up
• Workforce equality, diversity and inclusion
• Governance, management and sustainability
• Partnerships and communities
• Learning, improvement and innovation

Well-led – this means we looked for evidence that service leadership, management and governance assured high-quality, person-centred care; supported learning and innovation; and promoted an open, fair culture.

This is the first assessment for this newly registered service. This key question has been rated good. This meant the service was consistently managed and well-led. Leaders and the culture they created promoted high-quality, person-centred care.

This service scored 75 (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 had a shared vision, strategy and culture. This was based on transparency, equity, equality and human rights, diversity and inclusion, engagement, and understanding challenges and the needs of people and their communities.

The provider told us they were passionate about providing the best opportunities for the people they supported. They worked alongside people’s relatives, advocates and social workers to understand and meet their needs. They had made the decision to grow the service cautiously to ensure a consistently good standard of care was maintained. The registered manager told us, “Supporting a smaller number of people means you really get to know the people and their families so you can provide a very person-centred service. Because of the support we give our staff there is virtually no staff turnover. This gives people a regular team of staff and improves their experience of care.”

Staff understood and demonstrated the provider’s values when delivering care. Leaders told us how highly they valued their staff team, and this was reflected in the feedback we received from staff. A staff member told us, “Management treat us like family and often say the company belongs to all of us, not just them. This creates a culture where we feel valued and involved, rather than just employees. Our views are taken on board like partners, and it genuinely feels like we are part of something bigger."

The provider had inclusive leaders at all levels who understood the context in which they delivered care, treatment and support and embodied the culture and values of their workforce and organisation. Leaders had the skills, knowledge, experience and credibility to lead effectively. They did so with integrity, openness and honesty.

Staff told us they felt valued and supported by the registered manager and they could speak to them at any time. A member of staff told us, “The Management is approachable and can be contacted when needed. Support is available, especially when dealing with more complex situations.”

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard. There was a policy in place and available to staff around whistleblowing. Staff told us there were no concerns about speaking up and they did not have any fear of consequences if they raised concerns. A staff member told us, “I feel comfortable raising any concerns or sharing ideas, and I feel listened to and supported.”

The provider valued diversity in their workforce. They worked towards an inclusive and fair culture by improving equality and equity for people who worked for them. We saw examples of staff being given time off to celebrate religious festivals in line with their faith.

Staff we spoke to told us they felt there was a fair culture. They reported feeling happy in their roles and were well supported by the provider. A staff member told us, “The team and management have been very supportive and approachable, and I feel comfortable asking for guidance whenever needed.”

The provider had clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability and good governance. They used these to manage and deliver good quality, sustainable care, treatment and support. They acted on the best information about risk, performance and outcomes, and shared this securely with others when appropriate.

The provider had effective systems to check the quality of care on a regular basis. Any concerns identified during the audit process were addressed without delay. Policies and procedures were available to offer staff guidance when needed. The provider had a clear oversight of the service. They offered advice and guidance to staff when needed and led by example, giving hands on support to staff to ensure a high standard of care delivery.

The provider understood their duty to collaborate and work in partnership, so services worked seamlessly for people. They shared information and learning with partners and collaborated for improvement. We received positive feedback from an external professional and saw other examples of positive engagement with other health and social care professional in the records we reviewed.

The registered manager was well supported by the wider Bluebird organisation, and they also engaged with a local network of registered managers as a way to share knowledge and best practice.

The provider focused on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across the organisation and local system. They encouraged creative ways of delivering equality of experience, outcome and quality of life for people. They actively contributed to safe, effective practice and research.

The provider implemented several targeted measures after receiving feedback from people that staff were sometimes late to calls. For example, they adjusted schedules to include additional travel time, particularly at times when staff were more likely to experience problems due to traffic. The registered manager was also looking for new ways in which technology could support improvements to the service. They told us, “I want to make things easier and better.”

Staff members felt able to contribute, make suggestions and request help and support whenever needed. A member of staff told us, ““My experience so far has been very positive, and I feel well supported in my role.”