Innovative Start Ltd

On this page

• Overview
• Person-centred Care
• Care provision, Integration and continuity
• Providing Information
• Listening to and involving people
• Equity in access
• Equity in experiences and outcomes
• Planning for the future

Responsive – this means we looked for evidence that the provider met people’s needs.

At our last assessment we rated this key question requires improvement. At this assessment the rating has changed to good.

This meant people’s needs were met through good organisation and delivery.

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 made sure people were at the centre of their care and treatment, supporting them to make choices and decisions about how their needs were met. They worked in partnership with people and their relatives to respond to any changes in needs.

Care plans were developed and reviewed with people and, where appropriate, their relatives. One person told us, “We have a care plan, and we have a copy, they stick to it and it was reviewed last year.” This evidenced people were involved in planning and reviewing their care. People received person-centred care that reflected their individual needs, preferences, and abilities. One person told us, “They encourage me to try and get into bed by myself – it’s difficult and takes ages, but they are very patient.” This showed staff supported people to maintain independence at their own pace. Relatives told us that staff listened to them and responded to their requests, for example when changes to the timing of care calls were needed. This indicated a flexible and responsive approach to care delivery.

Staff told us they were kept informed of any changes to people’s needs and said communication between staff and the provider was effective. This helped to ensure care remained consistent and responsive to people’s individual preferences.

People received care that was coordinated, flexible and responsive to their individual needs. The provider demonstrated a clear understanding of the diverse health and care needs of people and their local community, ensuring care was joined‑up and supported choice and continuity. The service engaged effectively with healthcare professionals and made timely referrals when required, with professionals providing very positive feedback about how the registered manager and staff worked collaboratively to achieve good outcomes. One professional stated, “Innovative Start Ltd works collaboratively with Local Authority Social Workers and Occupational Therapy (OT) teams during care reviews, changes in care provision, and safeguarding processes. Joint visits and professional meetings are undertaken where required to ensure risks are identified early, understood consistently, and managed appropriately.” People and their relatives told us that continuity of care staff had improved, and they were usually supported by the same carers who knew them well. One relative explained, “Yes, they listen to him—his speech is not clear, but as we get the same carers now, they can understand him—that’s a great benefit to him and a big plus… yes, continuity, and it makes him a much happier and less frustrated person.” This confirmed the positive impact of consistent staffing, effective partnership working, and coordinated care on people’s wellbeing and overall experience.

The provider ensured people received appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats tailored to their individual needs, in line with the Accessible Information Standard (AIS). The AIS is a legal requirement designed to ensure people with a disability, impairment or sensory loss can access and understand information.

People’s communication needs were clearly recorded within care plans, enabling staff to share information in ways that were accessible and meaningful. A user guide was provided to people using the service and was available in alternative formats, including translation into other languages such as Urdu.

This showed flexibility in meeting a range of communication needs. For example, easy-read newsletters using pictorial formats were developed for people with learning disabilities, and audio recordings of the company newsletter were available for people who were visually impaired or partially sighted.

Staff had received training in the Accessible Information Standard, as well as information governance, including GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation). This supported their understanding of how to share information appropriately, securely and in a way that met individual needs. People confirmed this approach was effective, with one person telling us, “There is good communication” from the provider.

The provider demonstrated a strong commitment to listening to and involving people in their care, making it easy for them to share feedback, express views and raise concerns. There was a clear and accessible complaints procedure in place, and people were provided with a service user guide which included key information about the service, contact details and how to make a complaint. People using the service told us they knew how to raise concerns and felt confident approaching the management team. The provider actively sought feedback through surveys and ongoing communication, ensuring people and their relatives could contribute to service development. Feedback highlighted positive experiences of engagement and communication; one relative told us, “Communication is fine—they ring with updates or the carers tell me. I did a survey a few months ago. They do everything well and I don’t think they could improve on anything really,” while another said, “[Registered manager] asks our opinion of how the care is going and how the carers are doing.” This confirmed that people were routinely involved in decisions about their care and kept informed of any changes, with their views valued and acted upon to support continuous improvement.

The provider made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it. People told us they received care and support, which was accessible and considered their individual needs. The provider had effective policies and procedures in place that promoted equality, diversity and inclusion, alongside safe working practices, which were reinforced through training, monitoring and ongoing competency checks. Staff had received training in equality, diversity and human rights and showed a clear understanding of how to apply this in their day-to-day practice. Assessment and care planning processes considered a wide range of needs, including disability, age, gender, religion, culture and other protected characteristics. This ensured that people’s identities, preferences and backgrounds were respected and that care was delivered in an inclusive and accessible way. Overall, systems and practices supported equitable access to care, helping to ensure people received consistent, fair and person-centred support.

The provider demonstrated a strong commitment to promoting equity in access and outcomes by actively listening to people who may be at greater risk of experiencing inequality and tailoring care, support and treatment to meet their individual needs. People and their relatives told us they were treated fairly and that their rights were respected. Staff had access to clear processes for raising concerns about any discriminatory practice and told us they were confident the registered manager would take appropriate action. Training, guidance and ongoing monitoring reinforced staff understanding of their responsibilities in promoting equality and inclusion. The provider supported its workforce to deliver equitable care, for example by improving staff communication skills; the registered manager told us, “Our workforce majority is from abroad… when they came most were not fluent in English, so we arranged for an English teacher to support them weekly.” This proactive approach helped ensure staff could communicate effectively with people and provide consistent care. The service had appropriate policies in place relating to equality, diversity and inclusion, and staff received relevant training. Policies, procedures and working practices aligned with legislation, ensuring both people using the service and staff were treated fairly and supported to achieve positive and equitable outcomes.

People were supported to plan for important life changes, so they could have enough time to make informed decisions about their future, including at the end of their life. At the time of our inspection, no people were receiving end of life care.

The registered manager told us that if a person’s needs changed and they were identified as approaching the end of their life, appropriate arrangements would be put in place. This included working in partnership with the person, their relatives, and relevant healthcare professionals to ensure people were supported to plan for important life changes and make informed decisions about their future care. The service described how care would be delivered in a person-centred way, with a focus on maintaining comfort, dignity, and effective symptom management. This would include respecting people’s wishes and preferences at the end of their life.

Staff told us they had received training in end-of-life care and felt equipped to support people in a compassionate and sensitive manner when required.