Innovation and Continuous Improvement Audit - Supported Living

Evidence to check

• • Records of improvement ideas from tenants, staff, families or partners
• • Team meetings, supervision or tenant forums include discussion of new ideas
• • Managers respond positively to suggestions rather than dismissing them
• • Examples show ideas have led to practical changes in support

Evidence to check

• • Records of pilots, trials or small changes tested in practice
• • Tenant consent, choice and preferences are considered before trying changes
• • Risk assessments are updated where the trial affects safety or support
• • Trial outcomes are reviewed with tenants and staff

Evidence to check

• • Tenant feedback records
• • Support plans, routines or service processes changed after feedback
• • Accessible feedback methods used for tenants with communication needs
• • Tenants are told what changed as a result of their feedback

Evidence to check

• • Lessons learned records
• • Actions added to the quality improvement plan
• • Changes made to policies, training, supervision, risk assessments or support plans
• • Follow-up checks confirm the learning changed practice

Evidence to check

• • Team meeting minutes, newsletters or staff briefings
• • Good practice examples shared with tenant consent where personal details are included
• • New staff induction includes examples of effective supported living practice
• • Successful approaches are reflected in support planning or staff guidance

Evidence to check

• • Records of digital tools or assistive technology considered or introduced
• • Consent, capacity, privacy and accessibility are assessed
• • Technology is used to promote independence and choice, not only monitoring or control
• • Effectiveness is reviewed with tenants, staff and relevant professionals

Evidence to check

• • Staff surveys, supervision notes or team meeting records
• • Staff suggestions are recorded and reviewed
• • Ideas from frontline staff are acted on where appropriate
• • Staff are updated on whether suggestions were accepted, changed or not taken forward

Evidence to check

• • Pilot plans or trial records
• • Clear aims, timescales and review points are set before testing
• • Risks and tenant impact are considered before the trial begins
• • Learning from the pilot informs wider rollout or decision not to proceed

Evidence to check

• • Review records for improvement ideas or pilots
• • Tenant and staff feedback considered
• • Impact on safety, independence, dignity, inclusion and workload is reviewed
• • Changes are adapted if they do not achieve the intended benefit

Evidence to check

• • Tenant consultation or co-production records
• • Accessible methods used so tenants can contribute meaningfully
• • Tenant views influence final decisions
• • Reasons are explained where tenant suggestions cannot be implemented

Evidence to check

• • Records of regulatory updates, sector learning or local initiatives reviewed
• • Managers discuss relevant developments in governance or team meetings
• • External learning is adapted to supported living practice
• • Changes are made where external learning could improve tenant outcomes

Evidence to check

• • Improvement log, ideas tracker or quality improvement plan
• • Each idea has an owner, action, timescale and review point
• • Rejected or paused ideas include a clear rationale
• • Completed improvements are reviewed for impact

Evidence to check

• • Quality improvement plan links actions to tenant outcomes
• • Improvement work reflects supported living values
• • Actions are not focused only on paperwork or compliance
• • Evidence shows improvements affected daily life for tenants

Evidence to check

• • Training, briefings or supervision discussions on quality improvement
• • Staff understand how to test, review and embed changes
• • Managers support staff to contribute ideas and measure impact
• • Staff can describe recent improvements and their role in them

Evidence to check

• • Governance or leadership meeting minutes
• • Innovation and improvement actions appear in strategic or quality plans
• • Leaders review risks, costs, benefits and tenant impact
• • Progress on innovation is monitored and followed up

Evidence to check

• • Reflective practice or case discussion records
• • Staff discuss what worked, what did not and what could be improved
• • Learning is translated into support plan or practice changes
• • Discussions maintain tenant confidentiality and respect

Evidence to check

• • Improvement plans include how changes will be embedded
• • Staff training, policy updates or supervision reinforce the change
• • Managers check whether the improvement continues over time
• • Changes are practical for staffing, rota, tenant needs and supported living settings

Evidence to check

• • Feedback methods are adapted for different communication needs
• • Advocates or trusted people are involved where appropriate
• • Managers check that not only the most verbal tenants influence change
• • Feedback from diverse tenants is reflected in improvement decisions

Evidence to check

• • Post-implementation review records
• • Measures compare intended benefit with actual impact
• • Tenant experience and staff feedback are included
• • Further action is taken where the change did not work as expected

Evidence to check

• • Outcome measures include wellbeing, independence, dignity, choice or satisfaction
• • Tenant feedback is used alongside audit and incident data
• • Improvements are judged by tenant impact, not only completion of actions
• • Examples show innovation improved daily life or reduced barriers

Evidence to check

• • Equality impact or inclusion considerations recorded for major changes
• • Changes are accessible to tenants with different needs
• • No group of tenants is disadvantaged by new systems or ways of working
• • Feedback from underrepresented tenants is included

Evidence to check

• • Improvement records show what was tested and why
• • Results and learning are documented
• • Decisions to continue, adapt or stop are recorded
• • Records are available for audit and governance review

Evidence to check

• • Examples of personalised support solutions
• • Support plans show creative approaches to barriers
• • Staff support ordinary-life opportunities such as work, volunteering, hobbies, travel or relationships
• • Positive risk-taking is supported safely and proportionately

Evidence to check

• • Review records for changes that did not work
• • Staff and tenants are invited to reflect on what could be done differently
• • Learning is captured and shared
• • Managers avoid blame where a reasonable trial did not achieve the intended result

Evidence to check

• • Recognition of tenant or staff contributions in meetings, newsletters or supervision
• • Consent is obtained before sharing tenant examples
• • Good ideas are acknowledged even if they are small changes
• • Recognition encourages further involvement and improvement

Evidence to check

• • Review considers impact on tenant autonomy and ordinary life
• • Staff workload and administrative burden are reviewed
• • Tenant choice and flexibility are preserved where possible
• • Changes are amended if they become restrictive or overly procedural

Evidence to check

• • Audit reviews outcomes, lived experience and staff practice
• • Tenant feedback is included in judging impact
• • Initiatives with little benefit are stopped or redesigned
• • Governance focuses on what changed for tenants, not only what was launched