Bluebird Care has announced a wholesale transformation and growth programme to the value of £600,000 to be invested over the next year.
The strategy is aimed at supporting the development of care experts and franchise partners to deliver high quality premium home care services that span the full continuum of care.
With 235 business in the franchise network, the substantial investment from the home care provider will benefit local communities and healthcare systems right across the UK and Ireland.
The network has already seen the impact of early investments, including the doubling of the field support team, the roll-out of a new quality and compliance app, a new quality and compliance network-wide committee to ensure best practice is consistently achieved.
Bluebird Care is also investing in its workforce and the support it provides to franchise partners – a new in-house training scheme and Registered Managers Academy will provide Bluebird Care teams with the resources and training to deliver exceptional care, and this will be joined by a refreshed employee value proposition.
Signalling their commitment to providing care for people at all stages of their life, and for a broad range of customers, Bluebird Care are also investing in the expansion of their live-in care offer. Already the largest provider of live-in care services in the UK, the £600,000 investment will equip businesses to grow this offer further and raise awareness of the different care options available to people.
Several new Executive roles have been created under the investment programme, joining longstanding members of the Bluebird Care team to steer the franchise in its growth mission. Claire Ronan has joined from Prestige as the new Director of People, supported by two new Regional People Partner roles; Nicola Jones has joined as Finance Director; Lesley Cobb has been appointed as Director of Transformation; Dean Martin as Director of Marketing; Ted Richardson has been appointed to a new Head of Live-in Care position; and Neil Murray continues in his role as Director of Care, Quality and Compliance, where he will be supported by the creation of three new Quality Manager roles.
The investment comes eight months into Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Gardner’s tenure and marks the start of Bluebird Care’s 20th year anniversary. Jonathan has had a successful 30-year career in franchise led healthcare service businesses.
Jonathan Gardner, Chief Executive Officer of Bluebird Care, said: “I am delighted to unveil our comprehensive investment plan, which reflects our commitment to providing high-quality care services while driving innovation and growth in the sector. It all starts with our care experts, and so much of the work we have planned over the coming months focuses on how we can equip them, through our committed franchise partners, to thrive and deliver the very best for those we support.
“We’ve got a really strong leadership team in place, all of whom have extensive experience in care or franchise businesses – or both. I have every confidence that together we can take the excellent work of our franchise partners and teams to the next level, throughout the full continuum of care.
“It’s our 20th anniversary this year, and we have an incredible legacy to look back at and to celebrate, as well as lots of really exciting plans for the future of Bluebird Care.”
