Innovative Start Ltd

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 inadequate. At this assessment the rating has changed to 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 challenges and the needs of people and their communities.

A person‑centred culture was evident throughout the service. People using the service, their relatives, and staff reported feeling valued, and they described the service as well managed. Staff feedback reflected a supportive and collaborative working environment. Staff received the necessary support and direction, which enabled them to provide person-centred and compassionate care, one staff member commented, “Management are approachable and supportive, which makes me feel valued and confident in my role.” They provided staff with information through team meetings and through newsletters so they could provide the best care possible.

The registered manager sought feedback from people. Feedback received from stakeholders was positive and indicated that people using the service, relatives and staff were consistently happy with the quality of care and support provided.

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.

People using the service and their relatives described managers as approachable and responsive. Staff also spoke positively about leadership, with comments including, “Management are approachable and supportive, which makes me feel valued and confident in my role… I feel the service is well managed, and there is good leadership in place.” There was clear evidence the provider had a strong understanding of person‑centred care and ensured staff had appropriate guidance and support to deliver care in line with people’s individual needs. The registered manager described matching staff to people’s cultural and language needs and promoting respectful care as a core expectation of practice.

The provider fostered a positive and open culture where staff felt able to speak up and were confident their voices would be heard.

There were clear systems in place to support this, including a whistleblowing and raising concerns policy. Staff received regular supervision and had access to frequent team meetings, which provided opportunities to raise concerns and discuss practice.

Staff told us they felt listened to and supported when raising concerns. One member of staff said, “Management makes me feel supported. I can ask questions and raise things if something does not look right.” Another staff member told us, “They listen to us if we have a problem.” Staff confirmed that when concerns were raised, appropriate action was taken.

Staff were aware of the provider’s whistleblowing procedures and understood how to escalate concerns outside of the organisation if needed.

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

Staff received training in equality, diversity and inclusion as part of their mandatory training programme. Staff told us they felt treated fairly and described the culture of the service as inclusive, with no concerns raised about discrimination.

People were supported by a diverse staff team that reflected the local community. This supported inclusive care delivery and helped ensure people’s individual needs, preferences and backgrounds were understood and respected.

The provider had policies and procedures in place, including equality and diversity policies, which supported an inclusive culture where differences were respected and valued. These were aligned with current legislation. Staff told us they felt confident to share their ideas to create a more inclusive organisation.

There were no concerns raised regarding discrimination in the workplace, and the provider told us they would make reasonable adjustments where required to support staff.

The provider demonstrated clear governance arrangements, with defined roles, responsibilities, and systems of accountability in place. These were effectively used to oversee and deliver high-quality, sustainable care, treatment, and support. Leaders acted on the best available information relating to risk, performance, and outcomes, and shared this appropriately and securely with relevant external agencies.

Staff had a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities and were aware of what was expected of them in practice. The leadership team understood their regulatory responsibilities, including the requirement to share information and submit notifications to external bodies such as the local authority and the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

There were established systems in place to provide assurance to leaders that the care and support delivered was of a high standard. This included a comprehensive programme of audits and quality assurance processes, including for example, spot checks, auditing of care records and communication with people receiving care.

Audits and quality monitoring tools were effective in identifying areas for improvement. When issues were identified, leaders responded promptly by either taking immediate action or implementing clear action plans to address concerns within appropriate timescales.

Overall, there was a well-defined governance structure in place that all staff understood, which supported effective oversight and continuous improvement across the service.

The provider understood their duty to collaborate and work in partnership to ensure services were seamless for people. They worked effectively with health and social care professionals, sharing relevant information to support safe, coordinated care and positive outcomes.

People were supported by a range of professionals to meet their needs, and timely referrals were made where additional support was required. Records evidenced effective partnership working with external professionals and families, with people kept at the centre of their care and support.

Feedback from professionals was positive. One professional told us, “Innovative Start Ltd works collaboratively during all incident investigations and reviews of care packages. The organisation actively involves all relevant stakeholders, ensuring that findings are shared openly and transparently. Contributions are made constructively to reduce risk and promote positive outcomes.”

The provider had systems and processes in place to support continuous learning, innovation and improvement across the service. These were used to monitor the quality and safety of care provided and to identify opportunities for development.

Accidents and incidents were recorded and reviewed to identify themes and trends. This enabled the provider to take action to reduce risks and improve outcomes for people. For example, analysis of falls and accidents had been undertaken, identifying specific themes such as those related to footwear, so that preventative measures could be introduced.

Safeguarding concerns were also monitored and analysed by type and theme. Outcomes and the status of each concern were clearly recorded, and records confirmed that safeguarding incidents were appropriately reported to the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Staff told us that learning from incidents and events was shared with them regularly to improve practice and inform standard operating procedures. The registered manager showed commitment to continuous improvement, with learning and updates shared through staff newsletters and team meetings.

The provider had systems in place to gather feedback from people using the service, their relatives and staff. Surveys were distributed regularly and provided opportunities to raise concerns and share suggestions. Records showed consistently high levels of satisfaction across all groups, and feedback was used to help drive improvements.

The service had introduced ‘champion’ roles in specific subject areas to promote good practice and support the sharing of knowledge across the staff team. Staff were encouraged to develop their skills where possible.