Bluebird Care Highgate and Haringey, a domiciliary care agency in London, has been rated outstanding by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), following an inspection undertaken in March.
The service provides care and support to people living in their own homes and the inspection found that it was extremely responsive to those it cared for. Staff were fully committed to delivering quality person-centred support, which led to positive outcomes for people.
As well as being rated outstanding overall, it was rated outstanding for being responsive and well-led. It was rated good for being, safe, effective and caring.
James Frewin, CCQ’s head of inspection for adult social care, said:
“The care provided to people by Bluebird Care Highgate and Haringey was outstanding. It helped them feel safe and well-supported in their own homes.
“We found an open culture at the service, where staff and patients felt able to raise concerns and make suggestions.
“People told us they were involved in decisions about their care, helping them to maintain their independence and stay in control of their lives.
“We found this to be a well-run and supportive service that focused on people’s needs. Other services can look to it as an example of the high standards of care people should expect.”
The inspection found that the service benefited from effective leadership and staff were well supported in their roles.
Feedback from people using the service was very positive. People told inspectors their care workers were exceptionally caring and respectful, and they described how staff took the time to provide personalised care.
People’s care plans included personalised information about their specific likes and dislikes, and staff spent the time encouraging hobbies and talking to people about their interests. One person who had been an enthusiastic gardener was given a tomato plant by care workers so they were able to look after it indoors. Inspectors found people’s independence and dignity were also fully respected and feedback from the London Ambulance Service also expressed how compassionate staff at Bluebird Care Highgate and Haringey were and how their standards of care stood out.
They also found there were systems in place to protect people from abuse, and suitable checks were carried out on all staff to ensure they had the right knowledge, skills and experience to work in the care sector.
Behind the service’s success were leaders who were visible and effective. They were clear about how they expected the service to be run, and led by example.