Bluebird Care (Islington) & Bluebird Care (Hackney)

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. At our last assessment we rated this key question Good. At this assessment the rating has remained 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.

Staff spoke positively about managers and leaders and told us they could contact the office for advice, support and guidance when needed. One staff member said, “I feel supported and comfortable calling the office for advice whenever I need guidance.”

Staff told us they felt listened to and involved. One staff member said their “concerns or ideas are always heard and taken into consideration.”

Team meetings were used to discuss survey results, communicate updates and identify improvements. The provider also produced newsletters covering topics such as mental health, wellbeing and rare diseases to raise awareness. Staff told us they were aware of whistleblowing and knew how to raise concerns appropriately.

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 always did so with integrity, openness and honesty.

The registered manager told us they had worked in the care sector for over 20 years and had progressed through several roles within the sector. Directors described how their professional backgrounds supported the development and oversight of the service.

Leaders understood the challenges within the local care sector and spoke positively about providing community-based care which reflected people’s individual needs and preferences. Staff described the managers as approachable and supportive and told us they could seek guidance when required.

The director told us they recognised workforce pressures within the sector and had adapted recruitment approaches to support continuity of care for people using the service.

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard.

Staff told us they were comfortable discussing issues, raising concerns and suggesting improvement within the service. People and relatives told us they could raise anything with the service and felt they would be listened to.

The provider had made notifications to CQC where required, which showed openness and transparency with the regulator. Staff supervisions included sections to identify whether staff needed additional support or had any concerns.

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.

Staff completed equality and diversity training. Leaders had also completed an equality, diversity and inclusion assessment to review how equality and diversity were reflected across the service.

Staff told us managers supported flexible working arrangements, including accommodating requests for leave based on religious observance and personal needs. Staff told us they felt the service was fair and supportive in how it managed their requests.

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 service had a registered manager supported by dedicated care coordinators and supervisors across Islington and Hackney. The registered manager completed audits including medicines, accidents and incidents, time and attendance, complaints and concerns, and quarterly analysis. Care supervisors also completed customer file audits, spot checks and supervisions to support oversight of the service.

The wider Bluebird organisation completed a full compliance audit in December 2025, which achieved a score of 98%. Where actions were identified, these were assigned to the registered manager with clear deadlines for completion.

The provider had a business continuity plan which set out how the service would continue to operate in the event of disruptions such as staff shortage or IT failures.

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.

The service worked with GPs, falls team, speech and language therapists, social workers, commissioners and physiotherapists when people required additional support or specialist advice.

External professionals spoke positively about communication and partnership working with the service. Professionals told us staff were responsive, followed professional guidance and worked positively alongside them to support people’s needs and outcomes.

Commissioners also spoke positively about the provider’s engagement and contribution within local commissioning meetings and forums.

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 registered manager used audits, feedback and meetings to review the quality of care and identify improvements. Team meetings showed practical issues were discussed including travel time, local transport issues and communication with people when carers were delayed, and actions were taken in response.

The registered manager reviewed and followed up on concerns and complaints. Actions taken included updating care plans, speaking with staff members, arranging additional shadowing and reviewing practices.

The provider acted on feedback from this assessment by developing a quality improvement plan with named leads and deadlines to drive improvements across the service.