Miles Ahead Care

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. This is the first assessment for this newly registered service. This key question has been rated 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 choices and they decided, in partnership with people, how to respond to any relevant changes in people’s needs.

People’s care plans were personalised and reflected people’s individual preferences, routines and what mattered to them. They also helped staff understand people as individuals, including their interests, relationships and daily choices. People were involved in regular reviews of their care, which helped ensure their support remained appropriate and responsive to changes.

People received care which was flexible and adjusted when people’s needs changed. Staff worked with people, and where appropriate their families, to review support and make changes as needed. This helped ensure care remained relevant and continued to meet people’s physical, emotional and social needs.

The provider understood the diverse health and care needs of people and their local communities, so care was joined-up, flexible and supported choice and continuity.

The service worked in partnership with health and social care professionals to ensure people received coordinated and responsive care. This included working with GPs, occupational therapists and local authorities to support people’s assessed needs. Referrals were made where needed, and care was adjusted in response to changes to help maintain safe and effective support.

There was a clear focus on continuity of care. Admissions and discharges were managed in a coordinated way, with information shared to support smooth transitions between services.Where the service was unable to continue care, such as when people moved outside of the catchment area, information was passed to alternative providers to help ensure ongoing support was provided. Overall, care was delivered in a flexible and joined-up way that met people’s needs and supported consistent, person-centred outcomes.

The provider supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs.

The service user guide was detailed and clearly set out what people could expect from the service, including how care would be delivered and how to raise concerns. This supported transparency and helped people and their families understand the service and feel confident in how it operated.

Staff adapted their communication to meet people’s individual needs, for example by speaking clearly and slowly to support understanding. People were given information in a way they could understand, and staff checked this where needed. This helped ensure people could access information and make informed decisions about their care.

The provider made it easy for people to share feedback and ideas, or raise complaints about their care, treatment and support. Staff involved people in decisions about their care and told them what had changed as a result.

Systems were in place to collect feedback and manage complaints, and these were used to improve the service. People were given information on how to raise concerns and could do this in a number of ways. Complaints were recorded and monitored through a log and audit process, which showed how the service responded and followed up actions.

Records demonstrated clear communication with families and other relevant parties where needed. People were kept informed about actions taken, and the approach helped ensure concerns were addressed in a timely and transparent way.

The provider made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it.

The service had effective systems to respond to emergencies and short‑notice care requests. For existing people, additional support was arranged promptly using known care plans. For new referrals, key information was gathered and assessments completed before care started. Flexible staffing and an on‑call system supported urgent requests, helping ensure safe and continuous care, including outside normal hours.

Staff and leaders actively listened to information about people who are most likely to experience inequality in experience or outcomes and tailored their care, support and treatment in response to this.

Staff had received training in equality, diversity and inclusion and understood the importance of providing inclusive care. People’s care plans reflected people’s individual needs, including cultural and personal preferences, and staff adapted support where needed, such as matching staff or adjusting care approaches to respect people’s choices.

Staff adapted their communication styles to help meet people’s needs, helping them understand and be involved in their care. This supported fair experiences and positive outcomes for people. When we asked staff what they do to support people with religious and cultural needs 1 staff member said, “Respecting their wishes and culture, making them feel respected and supporting them according to their person-centred care plan”.

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.

People’s care plans included information about future wishes and preferences, including end of life discussions where people felt comfortable to have them. Where people had chosen not to discuss this, it was clearly recorded so staff understood and respected their choice. People were supported to make informed decisions while they had the capacity to do so, and their wishes were documented in personalised care plans.