Mill Street

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 leadership, management and governance assured high-quality, person-centred care; supported learning and innovation; and promoted an open, fair culture.

This is the first inspection for this service. This key question has been rated 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. Staff understood the provider’s vision and values. They described the team as “supportive and uplifting” and said they felt proud to work at Mill Street. People told us staff were kind and caring, and relatives said they had confidence in the service.

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. Managers were approachable and visible. Staff said leaders listened to concerns and offered support, including flexible working during personal challenges.

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard. Staff knew how to raise concerns and felt safe to do so. The whistleblowing policy was clear and accessible, and staff told us they would use it if needed. A staff member said, “Management listens and things get sorted.”

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. Policies promoted equality and inclusion. Staff training covered dignity, equality, and diversity, and people were supported without discrimination.

The provider had clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability and good governance. They used these to manage and deliver good quality, sustainable care, treatment and support. They acted on the best information about risk, performance and outcomes, and shared this securely with others when appropriate. Audits covered medication, infection control, and care planning. Incidents were logged and analysed, and lessons learned were shared with staff, training compliance was monitored. The registered manager understood their role in relation to duty of candour, which is the need to be open and honest when things go wrong. The registered manager had reported all notifiable incidents to the CQC as required.

The provider understood their duty to collaborate and work in partnership, so services worked seamlessly for people. They shared information and learning with partners and collaborated for improvement. Records showed regular contact with GPs, social workers, and housing providers. Staff supported people to access community activities, reducing isolation and promoting wellbeing.

The provider focused on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across the organisation and local system. They encouraged creative ways of delivering equality of experience, outcome and quality of life for people. Incident reviews led to changes in care plans, and staff were encouraged to request additional training.