- Homecare service
Bluebird Care Exeter & Teignbridge
Assessment report published 18 August 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of assessment 2 June to 30 June 2026. Bluebird Care Exeter and Teignbridge (previously known as Bluebird Care Exeter) is a care agency registered to provide personal care and nursing care to people living in their own homes. The agency provided care to younger and older adults, including people living with dementia and people with a learning disability. At the time of our assessment, 119 people were receiving the regulated activity of personal care.
The provider worked collaboratively with other professionals to deliver person-centred care. They coordinated hospital discharges and made sure people were safe when they returned home after hospital stays. Their support extended beyond care tasks and included advocating for people, liaising with discharge teams, coordinating transport and arranging equipment. The provider had recently employed a paramedic as clinical lead who was managing a new complex care team offering support for people with increased needs. This meant people and staff had in house access to advice about clinical needs, complex medication, equipment and delegated clinical tasks such as wounds. Their teamwork ensured people received a holistic package of care which led to life-enhancing outcomes.
Staffhad exceptional knowledge of the individual people they cared for. Staff were encouraged to provide meaningful support, which enhanced people’s health, wellbeing and social connections. Staff were empathetic and kind. Where possible, the provider matched staff personalities and interests to reflect people’s wishes.
People lived in their home environments which were well monitored, risks were understood, and the provider took appropriate and timely action to ensure safety was maintained. Systems were effective, learning was embedded, and staff practice consistently supported people in a safe, responsive and well managed way.
There was a culture where staff and others working with people had a deep understanding of their individual needs, preferences and choices. Managers worked closely with people to assess and plan personalised care through the customer on-boarding team and thorough customer enquiry process. They ensured people had the support they needed to promote their independence; from offering new technology enabled care to live-in support. Technology enabled care promoted independence and peace of mind using monitored sensors and smart devices to track activity. This could be used to assess care need, changes in movement and optimum times for visits.
There was a person-centred culture which was driven by skilled, knowledgeable and experienced managers. They had robust systems for monitoring the quality of the service and driving continuous improvements. Managers valued staff wellbeing and recognised this as an essential part of the organisation. Managers were visible and role-modelled the values of equality, diversity and inclusion.
We assessed the service against ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ guidance to make judgements about whether the provider guaranteed autistic people and people with a learning disability respect, equality, dignity, choices, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. The provider had regard to ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ and staff undertook specialist training to better understand people’s needs. The provider was committed to ensuring information was accessible and staff knew how to communicate well with the people they supported. The provider enabled positive risk taking and encouraged people to be independent and learn new skills whilst educating the wider family about positive risk taking.
The provider demonstrated a strong commitment through their participation policy to listening to people and staff and involving people in every aspect of their care and decision making at all levels.
People's experience of this service
People had an overall consistently positive experience. The provider worked with people, their relatives and others involved in their care to help ensure individual needs and objectives were met. The provider found creative ways to support people with recovery and to experience a good quality of life. This included helping people to celebrate their individuality and talents. The provider matched staff who shared people’s interests and passions.
People using the service and their relatives told us they were very happy with the care and support they received. Staff were punctual and reliable, arriving at the agreed times and providing consistent, dependable support. Dedicated staff teams knew people well. This continuity was especially important for people living with dementia, helping reduce anxiety and enabling staff to notice any changes and respond with reassurance or appropriate support. Their comments included, “I very much see our care for my mother as a partnership and as a co-operative relationship. They provide dignity and respect through their polite and compassionate way of relating”, “They always introduce themselves and have a lovely professional banter with my Dad. Staff carry out tasks needed with enthusiasm” and, “They know him well which means they quickly pick up on any changes which is of huge benefit. They are all friendly and treat my Dad with genuine warmth and respect.”
People told us managers and care staff were professional and responsive. They explained communication was consistently good and they had the information they needed. People’s views were regularly sought, and care plans were updated based on their needs and preferences. They were involved in making decisions and planning their own care. People told us any changes were responded to promptly. They were frequently asked for feedback and felt confident their views helped shape the service.
People told us the service was flexible when their needs changed and quick to adapt care. Relatives explained, “Bluebird were very responsive and they listened to my concerns. They recognised things they could improve on, and these were implemented. I also recognised I could improve my communication, and they helped me to understand how to communicate more effectively” and “They go out of their way to make each support visit a success and make [person’s name] feel seen and heard.”
The provider worked closely with external professionals to ensure people’s holistic needs were met. An external professional commented, “I have found the team at Bluebird Care to be professional, responsive, and person-centred in their approach to care delivery. Communication between your staff and our service has been clear, timely, and supportive, which has enabled effective joint working to meet the needs of individuals.”
Leadership was highly praised. People and relatives described the service as well run, with open, inclusive and transparent communication. Feedback included, “The office do check-ins to make sure things are going well for me”, “I would recommend them to anybody, they are fabulous, skilled, caring people. I’m very lucky”, “We are very pleased with the consistency and quality of care” and “The managers check in with me often.”