Innovations in Care

Updated 5 October 2023

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

Inspection team

The inspection was completed by an inspector and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own homes.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with CQC to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations. At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was announced. We gave a short period of notice of the inspection, because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

Inspection activity started on 13 June 2023 and ended on 4 July 2023. We visited the location’s office on 13 June and 4 July 2023.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since it first registered. We used information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We sought feedback from Healthwatch, and the local authority who work with the service. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with a person who used the service and 3 people’s relatives about their experience of the care and support provided. We received feedback from 6 health and social care professionals who worked with the service. We spoke with 5 members of staff including the registered manager who was also the nominated individual and support workers. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.

We reviewed a range of records. This included 3 people's care and medicine administration records. We looked at 2 staff files in relation to recruitment, induction, training and supervision. A variety of other records relating to the management of the service, including audits and policies and procedures were also reviewed.

Updated 5 October 2023

About the service

Innovations in Care is a domiciliary care service providing personal care to people living in their own homes. The service specialises in supporting younger adults who may be living with a physical disability, sensory impairment, mental health needs, a learning disability or autism. At the time or our inspection there were 4 people receiving support with personal care.

Not everyone who used the service received personal care. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided. At the time of our inspection there were 4 people being supported with personal care.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.

Right Support:

People were supported in an effective and extremely person-centred way to have choice, control and to develop their independence. They were supported to achieve consistently positive outcomes, which improved their wellbeing and enhanced their quality of life.

People’s rights were protected. They were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Staff provided effective care and support to help people learn new skills, develop their confidence and to identify and achieve goals.

People received safe care and support from staff who fully understood their needs and how best to support them to maximise their independence, whilst minimising risks. Risks were thoroughly assessed and effectively managed.

New staff were safely recruited, inducted, and trained to ensure they had the skills, knowledge and confidence to meet people’s needs.

Right Care:

People received outstanding person-centred care. Their needs were thoroughly assessed, and this information was used to develop comprehensive plans of support to meet people’s individual needs and preferences. Staff had an excellent understanding of people’s needs and how best to support them.

People were actively involved, wherever possible, in planning and reviewing their care and support. Staff were proactive in developing ways to ensure people could communicate their wishes and views and be fully involved in decisions.

Staff were kind, caring and treaded people with dignity and respect.

Right Culture:

There was an exceptional and distinctive culture within the service. People were at the heart of the service and there was a clear focus on understanding and meeting their individual needs. The service worked collaboratively with healthcare professionals to plan extremely person-centred care and support, which resulted in outstanding outcomes for people.

The service was extremely well-led. Governance arrangements were well embedded, and this ensured people received consistently safe, effective and very high-quality care.

Staff were highly motivated and extremely proud of the work they did. There were high levels of engagement and satisfaction at all levels within the service.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Rating at last inspection

This service registered with CQC on 13 January 2022 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on when the service was registered.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.