Dandelion with seeds blowing away in the wind across a clear blue sky

UK consultancy – helping others change

On this page Doreen Kelly, Director of Beyond Limits, talks about Beyond Limits consultancy services.

I have been working in health and social care services since the early 1980s.

In that time I have learned two important things:

  • tailor made is better than off the peg
  • stay small, emulate big.

Tailor made

Services only work properly when they are designed to ‘fit’ people, taking into account their needs as well as their hopes and ambitions for themselves. If you want to design a service that really works and is truly person centred, you have to learn about the person you are being asked to support. Find out from them and people close to them what they like, what they want to do with their lives, where they want to live, and then plan a service to respond to what they’ve told you. It’s like buying a suit or a dress.

Photo of Doreen Kelly, CEO Beyond Limits giving a presentation.

If you go to a tailor you can tell them what colours, style and fabric you like. They listen to what you want, take your measurements and make something that fits well, which you feel comfortable in, and which can, if you wish, last a lifetime. That’s the approach we take to service design. It’s better for the person supported, because they get what they want, and it makes sense financially because the chances of costly placement breakdowns are virtually eliminated.

Stay small, emulate big

In today’s competitive market providers have to find a way of staying small and responsive, while getting the economies of scale of bigger organisations.

Small organisations tend to be less procedure-bound, more flexible and more approachable. This is crucial in social care, because you have to be ready to change how you do things to meet the changing needs and demands of the people you support. Often if an organisation is unable to do this it leads to expensive placement breakdowns, which have both a financial cost and a potentially serious human cost.

Even so, bigger organisations have economies of scale, which can give them more influence and power. Our approach is to get the best of both worlds, by forming networks of small, person-centred organisations that can share functions like finance and HR support, and office premises. So we can stay small and emulate big.

We have lots of evidence that this approach works, both here in Devon and in Scotland. An example is the 2105 Award we received for our work with Plymouth Community Healthcare team.

If you are interested in the Beyond Limits approach I am available to talk with you about how you can make it real in your organisation. Please get in touch.

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Video – How Beyond Limits works

This page explains how our support works, about working for us and Consultancy for change.

Beyond Limits is a support provider that also uses its experience and knowledge to offer consultancy to others who wish to change services.

As a provider we support people with learning disabilities, mental health issues and other needs. We have a strong interest in helping people move back home from ‘out of area’ placements. We relish working with people labelled as challenging.

Get in touch…

If you’d like an informal chat about working for Beyond Limits or to receive our employment flyer by post, please get in touch using our contact form.

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Waking Night Worker for Mike

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We are so proud of Sue

We are proud of Sue and the person she supports for being involved in a Proud to Care campaign showcasing the very special job she does every day.

Sue is a great example of someone who started with us as a support worker and with training and development she has developed her career. It really is a fantastic job and a typical day often involves, swimming, attending the local Rock Choir and of course sampling cake. Nearly everything starts or ends with cake.

We are currently recruiting a Team Leader and Support Worker for this team, you can find details of the two jobs here: Team leader | Support worker

Follow this link to read the article on the Proud to Care website.

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We have joined the Employers Initiative on Domestic Abuse

Domestic abuse can happen to anyone of any age, gender, race, sexual orientation, religion or background. Abusive behaviour includes: physical or sexual abuse, violent or threatening behaviour, emotional abuse, controlling or coercive behaviour, economic abuse, psychological, or other abuse.

The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 makes clear that employers should consider the impact of domestic abuse on their employees as part of their duty of care. As a responsible employer, Beyond Limits are a member of the Employers’ Initiative on Domestic Abuse (EIDA) www.eida.org.uk and we are committed to their membership charter which includes fostering a safe, supportive and open environment to allow domestic abuse to be effectively tackled in the workplace and supporting employees who are affected by domestic abuse and those that report it by providing access to information and services.

Organisations that can provide support

If you or someone you know needs help there are several organisations that can provide support. You do not have to wait for an emergency situation to find help. If domestic abuse is happening to you, it’s important to tell someone and remember you’re not alone.

Advice and help for women experiencing domestic abuse.

I need help – information and support on domestic abuse (womensaid.org.uk)

The Survivor’s Handbook provides practical support and information for women experiencing domestic abuse.
The Survivor’s Handbook – Women’s Aid (womensaid.org.uk)

Men can contact the Men’s Advice Line on 0808 8010 327 or
Domestic Abuse Helpline for Men | Men’s Advice Line UK (mensadviceline.org.uk)

If you identify as LGBT+ you can find information here
LGBTQ+ victims of domestic abuse – IDAS

 

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We have our Restraint Reduction membership!

Beyond Limits are delighted to have had our pledge approved and accepted by the Restraint Reduction network. We understand that supporting people, especially those individuals who at times may present behaviours that cause concern, requires a commitment to place people at the centre of everything we do.

Restraint Reduction network logo

We vow to continue our work in this regard with people and their families and work with their best interests. Restrictive practice will only be used as a last resort, in an emergency to maintain safety and in circumstances where there is immediate or imminent harm and where alternatives cannot be used or have failed.

Under no circumstances…

Under no circumstances will any restrictive practice which is considered degrading or abusive ever be used and restrictive practices will not be used to enforce rules or to punish or coerce. We will continue our work, supporting people to be all they can be, having lives that make sense for them, free from restrictions and institutional living.

To learn more about the Restraint Reduction Network and their work, visit their website: www.restraintreductionnetwork.org

 

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We invest in our staff

We invest in you so you can invest in the people you support. This is why we provide our staff with some of the best training around.

Our training starts with your invite to our Welcome Day, this is your introduction to Beyond Limits, followed by your comprehensive induction. We then provide training throughout the year which involves leadership and skills and development training. We do this because we don’t want you to feel stuck, to stop learning new skills, we want you keep developing, both personally and professionally, as we know that if our staff are developing, then the people we support are developing too.

What people say…

Beyond Limits really is a great place to work. This is why we handed this section to the people and families we work with and our staff, we thought you would like to hear it directly from them about their experiences of working with us.

What our staff say

“He used to spend large amounts of his time sat on the sofa, now he’s out doing stuff. He’s the bravest guy I know.”

Hamish O’Brien, Team Leader.

What the people we support say

“My mum always used to worry about me because its not very nice been institutionalised in hospitals because you want to have your own life and your own freedom, my mum isnt worried about me so much at the moment the whole time Ive been with BL my mum stopped worrying and basically Ive got my confidence and independence back”.

Hannah.

What Families say

“Beyond Limits is breaking the mould, you have given my daughter her life back”

Michelle Beattie.

“Thanks so much for changing all our lives but mostly for H, she is unrecognisable now”

Sue Addy.

What we say

“we want staff to be expert in the person, we don’t need staff to be an expert in learning disabiities or mental health or physical disabilities, we need staff who can grow and be an expert in the person they are supporting and understand that whatever issue that person is dealing with how that affects them and their life”

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We’ve updated our Recommend a Friend scheme

Finding the right quality of care staff is a major challenge. It’s important that we don’t just fill the vacancies we have but that we fill them with the right people.

The right people are people like you, people who are already working here. That’s why we have launched our new and improved Recommend a Friend scheme because we know that you know the very next person you want to fill that vacancy in your team.

It’s why we are now offering bigger incentives than ever to make sure that we get the right people and you get the person you want. For each person that you recommend and that we hire, you will receive £150 once that person has completed their induction. We also know that sometimes having a new person join your team can be difficult and unsettling. Some of you might be asked to spend extra time with them showing them the ropes. We recognise it’s a team effort and so the biggest reward goes to the whole team. £500 will be paid when the person passes their probation and you can let us know how you want to use your reward to celebrate.

If you already have someone in mind please, get in touch.

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Well done Rich!!!

Rich was on the winning side recently when his team won the division 2 wheelchair rugby league. Rich plays wheelchair rugby with the West Country Hawks and they played over 3 weekends which took place in Stoke-on-Trent.

He was involved in a total of 16 games and they remained undefeated across of all the games, little wonder that Rich looks so happy. He plays as a defender and he was a key player for his team, his force and strength stopped a number of goals from being conceded.

Rich holding the winners cup in his wheelchair in a gym.

Well done Rich, and who knows, this time Stoke-on Trent, next time the Olympics!

West Country Hawks – Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby (gbwr.org.uk)

 

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Speech balloons graphic

What people say about Beyond Limits

We really value all the feedback we receive. Below is a mix of feedback from the people we support, family members, staff and professionals.

If you have feed back about any aspect of our work please get in touch.

“Thank you from our hearts”.

Michelle, Jim and family, Family members

“You’re the best thing to happen to Lucy and the family, many thanks”.

Zara, Family member

“Being included and listened to is something very special. Your Family Charter does what it says on the tin. Hands up to Beyond Limits for your far reaching views”.

Trisha Searle, Family member

“Beyond Limits is breaking the mould and is brave for writing the Family Charter. The proof of the pudding is that it works. You have given my daughter her life back. Communication is key. Thank you”.

Michelle Beattie, Family member

“My mum always used to worry about me because its not very nice been institutionalised in hospitals because you want to have your own life and your own freedom, my mum isnt worried about me so much at the moment the whole time Ive been with BL my mum stopped worrying and basically Ive got my confidence and independence back”.

Hannah, Supported by Beyond Limits

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What to do when you have Type 2 diabetes

On this page are a video and two booklets about Diabetes.

What is diabetes video

What to do when you have diabetes – An easy read guide.

The first booklet is by Diabetes UK who are leading the fight against diabetes.


If you are using a desktop or laptop computer you can click on the Full Screen button to zoom the page. Click on your browser’s back button to return to normal size.

Getting started if you have Diabetes

This booklet was produced by the Bristol Central Community Learning Team.

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What to tell the police when calling 101 or 999

This page tells you when to phone 999 or 101 and what questions you will be asked.

Phoning 101 or 999

When you need help or advice about a crime or incident it is important that you phone the police.
If you are not in danger, are unsure what to do, want to contact your local PCSO or have lost or found something you can call 101.
You must phone 999 if the crime you have experienced has just happened or is happening now. This includes being threatened, assaulted or burgled.

Questions you will be asked

When you phone either 101 or 999 you will be asked lots of questions. This is so the police can make sure you get the right kind of help.
It is important to tell the operator:
If you are in danger, if you are alone, where you are calling from and who was involved.
What happened and when it happened.
Where it happened.

You also need to say

Your name and address.
Whether this has happened before.
How you are feeling and if anyone is with you
Whether you have any additional needs for example: a learning disability, are hard of hearing, use Makaton.
With thanks to Dawn from the Crownhill Comms Room and Plymouth People First who worked with Devon and Cornwall Police to produce this information.
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Who’s Who at Beyond Limits

On this page you will find names and contact details of some key staff at Beyond Limits.

Managing Director, Rebecca Chadwick

Rebecca is responsible for overseeing the day to day delivery of services to the people we support. If you have any questions or queries relating to the people we support, Rebecca can help you with this.

 

 

Non-Executive Director, Doreen Kelly

Doreen is responsible for overseeing the day to day running of the organisation and she is also the Nominated Safeguarding Lead.

 

 

 

Registered Manager, Kathleen Griffiths

Kathleen is the registered manager and service development lead for Beyond Limits. Kathleen is responsible for making that the people who use our services have their needs met. We provide support which is regulated by the Care Quality Commission and Kathleen’s role is to make sure that we meet our legal responsibility and provide support that meets the requirements of the regulations. Kathleen is also the Designated Safeguarding Lead, you must contact Kathleen and let her know if you have had a safeguarding issue.

 

HR and Office Manager, Edyta Piekarska

Edyta is the HR and Office Manager for Beyond Limits. Edyta is responsible for the overall running of the administration team and she is the first point of contact for all HR matters. Edyta can help you with queries relating to health and wellbeing, performance management and equality and diversity. She co-ordinates and carries out employee engagement programmes as well as various other activities and initiatives.

 

Photo of Jill Barbour

Finance Director, Jill Barbour

Jill is the Finance Director for Beyond Limits. Jill is responsible for the money in the organisation and for making sure the books balance. Jill supports teams with the money connected to the people we support, this is our Individual Service Funds (ISF) and for making sure we meet our bigger financial obligations and of course for making sure we all get paid.

There are also a range of other people and departments that support the day to day running of Beyond Limits.

Salary

For any queries in relation to your salary you can email payroll by using your Microsoft Outlook Account

Finance & Carista

For any queries in relation to other aspects of finance or your Carista account, you can email finance, this is available by using your Microsoft Outlook Account.

Training and Online learning accounts

For any queries in relation to your training, including gaining access to your online learning accounts, you can email training, this is available by using your Microsoft Outlook Account.

Job vacancies and recommend a friend

For any queries in relation to job vacancies or your referrals for the recommend a friend scheme you can email vacancies, this is available by using your Microsoft Outlook Account.

Admin and change of details

For all queries in relation to administration, for example change of address, updates to driving licence, access to PPE or stationary, you can contact the main office

Office phone number

The office number should you require it is 01752 546449.

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Why the CQC is important for everyone

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and social care in England. As a provider of health and social care Beyond Limits is regulated by CQC which means we have to make sure the services we supply to people who need support meet certain conditions.

The CQC monitors, inspects and regulates our services and they publish their findings, these findings are available to the public. If they find that services do not meet certain criteria, they can use the powers they have to take action. These powers range from warning notices, changing or imposing conditions on the care provider or placing the care provider in special measures. In extreme cases they can prosecute a care provider when people have been harmed or placed in danger of harm.

Beyond Limits is currently rated as an outstanding provider, you can find more details about this here Beyond Limits (Plymouth) – Care Quality Commission (cqc.org.uk)

It is very important that we all work in a way that provides the best support possible for people who use our services. This means engaging productively in training that the organisation provides, taking part in support and supervision and upholding the values and ethos of the organisation.

You can find out more about the work that CQC do here About us – Care Quality Commission (cqc.org.uk)

If you have concerns about any aspect of how a service is being delivered then you should discuss this with your line manager. If your concerns are in relation to your line manager then you should contact the Registered Manager, Kathleen Griffiths. Details of how contact Kathleen can be found in the who’s who section of the staff pages.

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Support worker with personin wheelcahir on the beach

Why you’ll love working for Beyond Limits

At Beyond Limits, we value our people as much as the people we support. That’s why our staff stick with us for so long. We provide a workplace that is supportive, flexible, and full of opportunities to learn and grow.

Our Great Benefits:

  1. Competitive salaries
  2. Flexible hours to suit your lifestyle
  3. 7 weeks’ annual leave allowance
  4. Critical Illness cover, reassurance when you need it the most
  5. Award-winning pension scheme
  6. Company sick pay scheme
  7. Fully paid development and training opportunities
  8. Clear career progression and growth opportunities
  9. A welcoming, inclusive, and friendly workplace
  10. A real chance to make a difference to someone’s life

What is it like to work for us?

At Beyond Limits, working with us means so much more than just a role. It is a chance to make a real and lasting difference in people’s lives. Our staff provide support to individuals in their own homes, helping them to live independently and confidently. This work is hugely rewarding, as you see the positive impact of your support every single day.

What makes us different is our commitment to truly person centred support. We tailor both the care and the team around the individual, making sure their needs, interests, and aspirations come first. This means you will be matched with someone who is the right fit, allowing strong and positive relationships to grow.

Supporting people also opens the door to amazing opportunities and experiences. From cosy movie nights in, to fun outings like clay pigeon shooting, taking part in races, or enjoying community events, no two days are ever the same. You will share in these moments, building genuine connections while helping people to live life to the fullest.

We believe in creating a supportive and encouraging workplace where staff are valued, listened to, and given space to grow. With training, development, and the chance to take on new challenges, you will not only build your skills but also gain the satisfaction that comes from meaningful, life changing work.

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working with families

Working with families

This page is dedicated to the families we work with, a place where we can share stories of hope and keep you informed of our developments.

Download the Charter

We are delighted to share with you our recently launched Family Charter, a series of statements which outlines our commitment to you and where we hope you will hold us to account.

Thank you for your involvement, we couldn’t do the job without you and thank you for being in the life of Beyond Limits and travelling the journey with us.

Download the Family Charter: Beyond-Limits-Charter-to-Families.pdf

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Zero Tolerance to Sexual Harassment at Work

Beyond Limits has a duty under the Equality Act 2010 to protect its employees from all forms of harassment, including sexual harassment whilst in the workplace. We understand that across the organisation there will be a range of attitudes about what conduct is considered to be offensive, humiliating, intimidating, hostile or degrading. What one employee – or even a majority of employees – might see as harmless fun or ‘banter’, another may find unacceptable. An employee who complains about conduct may be considered by others to be overly sensitive or prudish. However, as an employer we have a responsibility for ensuring that our staff do not face harassment in their workplace and we understand the effects of harassment on individuals can be damaging, long-lasting and profound. All harassment is unacceptable. 

Image of black handprint that indicates stop on a red background.

No workplace is immune to harassment and a lack of reported cases does not mean that people have not experienced it. We will take any complaint of harassment (including sexual) seriously and we encourage anyone who considers they have or are experiencing harassment to report this via their line manager.

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