Bluebird Care (Essex West) Also known as K & T McCormack

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 82 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The service demonstrated a clearly defined vision and values-based culture that was understood and embedded across the staff team. The provider had undertaken a review of its Vision, Mission and Values, with staff consulted through surveys and engagement activities that contributed to shaping the refreshed framework and future direction of the organisation.

Governance records showed organisational values were actively discussed and reflected in recruitment, induction, supervision,training and day-to-day practice. Staff were able to describe how the provider's CARE values (Compassion, Authenticity, Responsibility and Excellence) influenced their work and care delivery. Evidence also showed ongoing workforce engagement through forums,meetings and feedback mechanisms that enabled staff to contribute to service development and improvement.

Staff described a positive and open culture, with 1 staff member stating they were "Proud to be part of the Bluebird family" and that the team "Always try to go above and beyond." The registered manager promoted a culture of reflection and learning, responding to staff feedback and encouraging openness. This supported the delivery of respectful,consistent and responsive care.

The service had a strong and visible leadership that promoted a positive, inclusive and supportive culture. The registered manager and deputy manager were described by staff as approachable, responsive and committed to development, and there was clear evidence of the registered manager’s investment in leadership capability, including mentoring and succession planning.

Records showed structured governance and oversight, with management actively involved in service delivery and improvement. Staff feedback consistently highlighted supportive management, with examples of the registered manager providing personalised support, including adjustments for staff experiencing health concerns.

The registered manager’s behaviours directly influenced staff engagement and performance. Staff felt valued and confident in their roles, which contributed to stable staffing, continuity of care and improved outcomes for people.

The registered manager demonstrated inclusivity in their approach, ensuring staff were treated fairly and supported to develop. This created a working environment where staff felt able to contribute, raise concerns and continuously improve their practice. The impact was a well-motivated workforce delivering consistent, person-centred care. People benefited from stable relationships with staff, improved continuity and responsive support.

The registered manager was not only effective in managing the service but also in shaping its culture. The consistent alignment between leadership values, staff experience and outcomes for people demonstrated a mature, high-performing leadership approach that underpinned the quality of care.
 

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

Staff surveys and staff feedback showed they felt able to raise concerns. Analysis of a recent staff survey reported 100% positive responses in relation to safety and governance, including that staff knew how to raise concerns and felt confident concerns would be listened to and acted upon. Staff described an open-door culture and said management would support them if they raised concerns about people’s care, unsafe practice or their own wellbeing. Established arrangements were in place to support speaking up, including supervision, safeguarding processes, whistleblowing procedures and management support.

Staff told us they would speak to the management team if they had safeguarding or practice concerns and said they received support and debrief following incidents. Evidence provided demonstrated concerns had been raised, investigated and acted upon, supporting organisational learning and

improvement. This mattered because in a domiciliary care service, where staff often work alone in people's homes, confidence to speak up is essential to maintaining safety and learning.

The provider continued to strengthen these arrangements through the implementation of a more formal Freedom to Speak Up framework, including enhanced governance arrangements and the introduction of a designated Freedom to Speak Up Guardian. This aimed to increase visibility and awareness of speaking-up processes while further strengthening oversight of workforce feedback.

The registered manager showed a strong commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion within the workforce. They actively supported staff through reasonable adjustments, flexible working and wellbeing initiatives, ensuring staff with diverse needs could work effectively.

The registered manager created a more inclusive culture through workforce development and recognition. Recruitment files also included equal opportunities monitoring forms, and staff were recognised in ways that reflected contribution, development and long service. An inclusive workforce culture helps staff feel respected and safe to be themselves, which supports staff morale, retention and the consistency of care people receive.

The service demonstrated a clearly defined vision and values-based culture that was understood and embedded across the staff team. The provider had undertaken a review of its Vision, Mission and Values, with staff consulted through surveys and engagement activities that contributed to shaping the refreshed framework and future direction of the organisation.

Governance records showed organisational values were actively discussed and reflected in recruitment, induction, supervision, training and day-to-day practice. Staff were able to describe how the provider's CARE values (Compassion, Authenticity, Responsibility and Excellence) influenced their work and care delivery. Evidence also showed ongoing workforce engagement through forums, meetings and feedback mechanisms that enabled staff to contribute to service development and improvement.

The registered manager promoted a culture of reflection and learning, responding to staff feedback and encouraging openness. This supported the delivery of respectful, consistent and responsive care.

The registered manager demonstrated a strong and proactive engagement with partners and the local community. Staff worked proactively and collaboratively with health and social care professionals, ensuring coordinated support for people, particularly during changes such as hospital discharge or increased needs.

The registered manager and deputy manager demonstrated innovation in community engagement, including initiatives that supported people to participate in local activities and reduce isolation. Events such as community gatherings and linking with local schools were actively promoted. These initiatives meant people experienced increased social interaction and a greater sense of belonging. People and relatives confirmed the impact of this work. People reported improved mood, increased social interaction and greater enjoyment of daily life. This high level of engagement demonstrated a service that not only met people’s care needs but also enhanced their quality of life and connection to their community.
 

The provider focused on continuous learning, improvement and innovation. Information from governance activity, audits, incidents, complaints, feedback and quality assurance processes was reviewed and used to improve care quality, people's experiences and staff practice.

The provider focused on continuous learning, improvement and innovation. Information from audits, incidents, complaints,feedback and quality assurance processes was reviewed and used to improve care quality, people's experiences and staff practice. Governance systems, including regular audits, meetings and quality improvement plans, were used to identify themes, monitor performance and drive improvement. Where concerns were identified, these were addressed through actions such as training, competency checks, updated guidance and care plan reviews.

People, relatives and staff contributed to improvement through surveys, meetings, supervision and ongoing engagement. Feedback was used to inform changes to communication, continuity of care and staff support.

There was evidence of closed-loop learning. Formal lessons learned processes and improvement plans were used to identify actions, monitor progress and evaluate outcomes. Learning from incidents, complaints and feedback informed service improvements and wider organisational development.

The provider demonstrated innovation through initiatives to reduce loneliness and social isolation and through the development of AI-assisted documentation and risk assessment tools. These were subject to governance oversight, risk assessment and ongoing evaluation to support safe and effective implementation. Early evidence showed benefits in documentation consistency and staff confidence.

The provider responded positively to feedback provided throughout our assessment of the service.