Bluebird Care (East Hertfordshire)

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 the previous inspection, this key question was rated requires improvement. At the current assessment, the service had improved and is 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 management and staff embraced a shared vision to provide person centred care that was well planned monitored and delivered. The culture and ethos of the service was embraced by the entire workforce. It was one of compassion and kindness.

The directors and registered manager demonstrated their passion to provide care that was of good quality, compassionate and inclusive. The management team regularly checked on their own practice and abilities with both other senior staff and were supported by the franchisor’s and had the benefit of their expertise. Staff told us they felt comfortable to challenge anything they felt did not feel quite right. This meant there were respectful discussions and debriefs when required.

Office staff and care workers told us they felt they were able to speak up if they were not happy about anything. A staff member told us, “I feel listened to and that my opinion matters.” Another staff member told us, “They [Management team] complete regular staff surveys to get feedback, and things do get addressed, so yes I feel able to speak out.” A staff member told us, “We are comfortable challenging team members, and it works both ways. We do not let hierarchy prevent professional discussions.”

The workforce was very diverse and representative of the service user base. The service operated in a way which was inclusive and where everyone belonged. For example, staff were able to talk about people’s religious and or ethnic backgrounds and were interested in different cultures.

The directors and management team demonstrated a resilience in the home care market. There was a strong focus on quality and sustainability and the delivery of high-quality care. The provider completed a wide range of audits on all aspects of the service. Regular audits were completed which included medication administration records [MAR], complaints, accidents and incidents. Audit forms viewed showed detailed criteria, clear responsibility, and actions when issues had been identified. The provider has an electronic monitoring system in place, which captures the arrival and departure time of care staff. Reports showed that overall calls were generally on time and of the correct duration.

Staff worked with other professionals who were involved in the care of the people they supported.

There was an ethos within the service to learn and grow at a rate that was sustainable. The service developed at a pace that ensured people were not just a number and that were known to the management team, who had regular contact with them. There was an appetite for continual improvement, and a clear strategic plan. The provider had 2 quality assurance staff who worked on quality assurance monitoring and maintaining high quality care. Staff were innovative and creative in the oversight of the service sharing learning and creating opportunity for staff to grow.