Bluebird Care (Westminster, Kensington & Chelsea)

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 outstanding. At this assessment the rating has remained outstanding.

This meant service leadership was exceptional and distinctive. Leaders and the culture they created drove and improved high-quality, person-centred care.

This service scored 89 (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’s vision and strategy centred around people’s wellbeing and good outcomes. The provider celebrated staff successes and contributions through award schemes and public recognition. They recognised the importance of personal connections staff made with the people they were caring for, providing dignified and respectful care. For example, recognising care workers who had stayed with people and their families at the end of their lives, providing comfort, assurances and support. There was an emphasis on enabling people to take part in a range of different social activities and visit places which were important to them. Staff also met people’s religious and cultural needs, helping people to celebrate their faith and making traditional food. The managing director praised the work of the staff at this branch of Bluebird Care. They explained, “The team regularly demonstrates flexibility and responsiveness, often exceeding their core responsibilities. Overall, I am incredibly proud of this service and the team that work. Culturally, the team are so passionate about the people we look after and each other. The team culture is something very special.”

People spoke positively about their experiences. Their comments included, “I recommend the service. They are responsive and so supportive. I am very happy with the service”, “The carers themselves are lovely and delightful. They take the pressure off me. It is more than a care service. We are lucky to have intelligent and engaging staff” and “The support is hugely helpful and reassuring. They are friendly, respectful and nice people.”

The provider’s aims and vision were embedded in practice and staff were proud to work at the service. Comments from staff included, “The values and principles of Bluebird are amazing and align with my views. The individual is at the centre of what we do”, “The service provides a supportive, professional environment and opportunities for development” and “Managers value the contributions of staff.”

The provider enabled staff and other stakeholders to feedback and contribute towards improvements. They asked stakeholders to complete surveys. They had regular meetings with staff and external professionals. They conducted regular reviews of care.

Professionals spoke extremely positively about the service. Their comments included, “I consider Bluebird Care to be 1 of the leading care agencies operating in the borough. We consistently receive positive feedback from patients, reflecting the high standards of care”, “I genuinely believe they are an outstanding service and have had the pleasure of seeing outcomes for our joint customers” and “I can truly say I would trust [Bluebird Care] with my loved ones.”

Leaders at all levels demonstrated a commitment towards the provider’s aims and objectives which included caring for employees as well as people using the service. The registered manager was an experienced and qualified care manager. They were a nurse and offered clinical expertise and support and guidance to staff.

The registered manager was supported by a team of other managers and senior staff. There were clear roles, responsibilities and expectations. Managers had regular meetings to discuss the service and look at ways to improve practice. Staff told us they found managers visible, supportive and caring. Their comments included, “Managers and the owners are very supportive and always available when I need guidance, feedback or reassurance”, “Managers demonstrate a strong values-led leadership which has created a culture of openness, collaboration and continuous improvement” and “There is strong leadership which enables staff at all levels to feel valued and empowered.”

There were systems to enable staff and others to speak up when they felt something was wrong. Staff told us they knew what to do if they had concerns. They explained they felt confident speaking up. Comments from staff included, “The management team are approachable and always available if I need guidance or want to talk something through”, “I have regular and meaningful opportunities to discuss my work and raise concerns”, “There is a solution-focussed approach which supports open and constructive conversations” and “I never have to wait if something needs to be discussed. I know they will listen to me and take this seriously.” The registered manager was open, honest and transparent. When something went wrong, the registered manager apologised to people and explained the actions they were taking to prevent this from happening again.

The service had an exceptionally inclusive approach to promoting staff safety and equality. The provider had partnered with a wellbeing platform who offered free support, benefits and guidance for staff and their families. They provided salary sacrifice schemes and supported staff in financial difficulties. Managers told us they acknowledged the branch was in an expensive place to travel, eat and socialise. They offered a space for staff to spend time between care visits. They offered free food and drinks for staff during these breaks. One of the managers was a qualified mental health first aider. They had developed a wellbeing programme offering staff workshops and therapy sessions. The provider had sourced support from a local hospice to provide sessions about grief management to support staff who had experienced bereavements.

Leaders demonstrated work to reduce workforce inequalities. The provider promoted and fostered a culture of inclusivity during recruitment and for staff working at the service. One of the senior managers publicly shared their own experiences as a neurodivergent person. In an article on the provider’s website, they explained about the challenges they faced and how they embraced their differences. They told us how sharing their story had helped support other staff to be open and understand they could safely ask for help when they needed this. The provider supported staff with different learning needs to access training and information. The provider supported flexible working arrangements and offered guidance and support for staff and their families. This included helping staff to find out about services (unrelated to their work) which could help them with individual needs.

The provider celebrated staff diversity and cultures. They ensured all staff understood about respectful language and terminology. They helped to celebrate special events and festivals. Managers told us, “We understand about different religious and cultural needs. We do not want anyone to feel left out. We provide sensitive and culturally appropriate ways to celebrate.” The provider had initiatives to ensure staff felt safe, included and had access to the support they needed. This included staff who identified as LGBT+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender), pregnant staff, new parents and staff experiencing the menopause. Managers told us these schemes supported staff wellbeing and improved staff retention and job satisfaction. This was reflected through feedback from staff.

Staff told us they felt there was a culture of inclusion and support. Their comments included, “There is a very open and positive culture where we feel comfortable”, “They have been very understanding of my personal circumstances, supporting with flexible working hours when I have needed this”, “[Managers] invest time in developing individual staff, recognising potential and supporting us to achieve professional goals”, “Reasonable adjustments are made, for example adapting working arrangements, providing additional support and respecting religious practices” and “I feel safe because there are clear policies and procedures in place to protect staff.”

There were effective systems for monitoring and improving quality at the service. The management team conducted audits. They discussed and made improvements when they identified these were needed. Managers carried out spot checks on staff and regular supervision. Managers asked people and their relatives for their feedback. They involved people in reviews of their care. Records were well organised, clear and well maintained. There were a range of suitable policies and procedures which reflected legislation and good practice guidance.

The provider was proactive in building positive relationships and joint working with external partners. This work directly benefited individual people and ensured consistently good outcomes.

Professionals we spoke with were extremely positive about the way managers and staff worked with them. Their comments included, “I have confidence in the commitment, professionalism and values of the entire team”, “I have found Bluebird Care to be extremely easy and positive to work with”, “Staff are consistently approachable, responsive and highly communicative” and “Bluebird Care have a strong commitment to providing high-quality support. Their clients are clearly placed at the heart of everything they do. Our shared working ensures a quality of care for everyone.”

The provider established partnerships with a local care home to provide rehabilitation and support to people leaving hospital. They also partnered with a community physiotherapy service, working with the physiotherapists to develop care plans and exercises designed to improve people’s mobility. Managers spent time discussing people’s needs with hospital discharge teams and took a lead role in coordinating their discharge and community therapy services for them when they returned home.

The provider developed literature and guidance to share with people using the service, staff and other stakeholders about different conditions, such as dementia, and the services they could access both from the provider and from external partners. This helped people, their relatives and staff have easy to understand and accessible information to support them to understand about these conditions.

The provider partnered with national charities to help raise funds and awareness. Managers had developed relationships with other companies who provided a variety of services designed to support people, including meal providers and companies promoting good hydration.

The managing director told us they felt one of the most notable strengths of the agency was the team’s approach to partnership working. They commented, “[Staff] consistently collaborate effectively with external agencies, stakeholders, and the wider community to ensure that individuals receive holistic, person-centred support. This joined-up approach has resulted in improved outcomes and demonstrates a genuine dedication to going above and beyond what is expected.”

The provider developed and embedded systems to ensure continuous improvements and learning. They recruited nurse trainers to support and upskill staff to learn about best practice. They sourced bespoke training packages for staff when they identified specific needs. Leaders were visible and led by example. The provider had developed the leadership team and their management skills. They had introduced regular workshops and opportunities for managers and senior staff to improve their own knowledge.

The provider was proactive when responding to things that went wrong and feedback from stakeholders. Following all accidents, incidents and adverse events, managers supported staff during individual and group meetings to reflect on these and learn how to make improvements. A staff member explained, “[Managers] encourage reflective practice and shared learning. This ensures challenges are addressed constructively and improvements are embedded.” The provider developed additional guidance and resources for staff following incidents and when they identified improvements were needed through their own audits. These included large print and accessible versions to make these easier for all staff to understand. They had also developed guidance for people using the service and their relatives. They made good use of technology to provide links to other services, share good news stories and provide people with guidance through their website and social media. People using the service and their relatives were able to access all their care records and additional information through mobile applications.

The provider had improved their systems of audits and checks. They had updated information about lines of accountability and business contingency plans. This information was shared with staff. Staff told us they understood their own responsibilities and those of managers.

The provider developed innovative practices. These included using a cashless card system for supporting people with their finances. They also worked in partnership with external professionals to take a lead in supporting people with transitions between services. Staff found bespoke ways to solve individual needs, such as supporting people with a bespoke reminder service for taking medicines.

The provider and individual staff had been nominated and received a number of awards both within the Bluebird group and externally.

The provider asked people to complete surveys and undertook visits and telephone monitoring. They had responded to feedback from people using the service, relatives and staff. Whilst the most recent feedback was largely positive, the provider demonstrated how they had reflected on all areas where people identified improvements were needed. This included improving communication, continuity of care workers, and improving staff support systems.

The provider’s governance systems gave managers exceptional oversight and helped drive continuous improvement. They were transparent about barriers to delivering a high-quality service. These included staff recruitment and retention and staff travel in Central London. The provider tried to overcome barriers by improving conditions for staff. They offered a selection of employee benefits and a range of accessible training, including opportunities for qualifications in care.