Bluebird Care Docklands, Stratford and Wapping

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 the needs of people and their communities.

Relatives told us staff respected professional boundaries and delivered care in line with people’s preferences and individual wishes. One relative said, “The staff are professional and understand my relative's needs.”

The provider had a clear vision and values for the service, which were shared with staff during recruitment, induction, and through ongoing engagement. We saw evidence that the provider had presented their future plans and service objectives to staff, promoting a transparent and inclusive culture. Clear communication systems, policies, regular team meetings, and an open-door approach supported staff to feel valued, listened to, and supported by the registered manager and nominated individual.

The provider’s values focused on delivering tailored, person-centred care and ensuring people received support that respected their rights, choices, and individual circumstances.

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 did so with integrity, openness and honesty.

The service was overseen by an experienced registered manager, supported by office-based supervisors, coordinators, and administrative staff who understood people’s assessed needs and the demands of service delivery. Staff and relatives confirmed they knew how to contact the management team when support or advice was needed.

Staff spoke positively about the management team and described an open, supportive, and inclusive culture within the service. One staff member told us, “I feel well supported and can always contact management if I need guidance.” The registered manager was passionate, approachable, and committed to supporting staff to deliver high-quality, person-centred care. Feedback from staff, people, and relatives about the leadership team was consistently positive.

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

People and relatives told us they felt comfortable raising concerns or providing feedback and were confident these would be acted upon. One relative told us, “If I have any concerns, I can speak to the office and they sort things quickly.” Records showed feedback and complaints were reviewed, investigated and used to make improvements where needed. This demonstrated people’s views were valued and acted upon. Staff described senior leaders as approachable and supportive and confirmed they understood the provider’s whistleblowing policy, including how to raise concerns internally or externally, including with the CQC if needed.

The provider operated an open-door culture, where both staff and people using the service could access the management team during office hours. Staff told us they felt able to speak up without fear of negative consequences.

The provider valued diversity within their workforce and worked towards an inclusive and fair culture by improving equality and equity for people who worked for them.

Staff told us the service offered flexible working arrangements, with management working collaboratively to balance the needs of the service with staff wellbeing and work-life balance. Recognition initiatives, such as an employee of the month programme, helped staff feel valued.

The provider employed staff from a wide range of backgrounds and had an Equality and Diversity policy that set clear expectations around behaviour, inclusion, and respect. The provider also supported staff to observe important aspects of their faith and culture. For example, staff observing religious practices offered additional support and flexibility where needed.

The registered manager told us, “At Bluebird Care we are very multicultural. Everybody respects each other.” This reflected the inclusive and respectful culture experienced by staff across the service.

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 provider had robust governance systems in place to oversee operations, manage risks, and assure the quality of care being delivered. Leaders used a range of monitoring systems to identify trends, review performance, and support continuous improvement across the service.

The provider completed a comprehensive programme of audits covering both operational management and care delivery. These included audits of medicines administration records, daily care notes, accidents and incidents, safeguarding concerns, staff files and mandatory training. This helped ensure records remained accurate, care was delivered safely, and staff remained competent in their roles.

The provider responded openly to feedback, and the areas for improvement identified during the assessment were added to improvement plans straight away. Learning from audits, incidents, and feedback was shared appropriately with staff, and actions were implemented to address shortfalls and drive ongoing improvement.

Leaders also demonstrated a good understanding of their regulatory responsibilities, including the need to maintain accurate records, submit notifications where required, and ensure information was shared securely with relevant professionals to support safe and effective care.

The provider clearly understood and carried out their duty to collaborate and work in partnership, ensuring services worked seamlessly for people. They shared information and learning with partners and worked collaboratively to improve outcomes for people using the service.

Professionals spoke positively about the service and described the provider as responsive, thorough, and committed to achieving positive outcomes for people. One professional told us the service was “responsive and thorough in their service delivery.” This reflected the provider’s willingness to work openly and collaboratively with others.

The management team told us they regularly signposted people and their relatives to relevant agencies and community services where additional support or specialist advice was needed. This helped people access wider support networks and promoted continuity of care.

Relatives told us they were kept informed of significant changes affecting their family member and were given opportunities to ask questions and share their views. This helped promote transparency and partnership working. This demonstrated the provider’s commitment to partnership working, open communication, and ensuring people benefitted from a coordinated approach to their care and support.

The provider focused on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across the organisation and local system. They encouraged creative ways of delivering equality of experience, improved outcomes, and a better quality of life for people. They actively contributed to safe and effective practice.

The provider demonstrated a strong commitment to continuous improvement and had clear systems in place to review performance, learn from events, and drive service development. During the assessment, we saw evidence of an ongoing improvement plan which was regularly reviewed by the management team to monitor progress and identify further opportunities for development.

The service reviewed incidents, accidents, complaints, compliments, and feedback to identify patterns, themes, and areas for improvement. Where concerns or incidents arose, the provider completed reflective reviews and root cause analysis to better understand contributing factors and to ensure learning was embedded into future practice. This helped the service identify trends early and reduce the likelihood of repeated issues.

The provider promoted a culture where learning was taken from both positive outcomes and areas requiring improvement. This supported innovation, strengthened practice, and helped ensure people continued to receive safe, person-centred, and high-quality care.