Mulholland Care Limited

On this page

• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

Caring – this means we looked for evidence that the provider involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has changed to outstanding.

This meant people were truly respected and valued as individuals; and empowered as partners in their care in an exceptional service.

This service scored 95 (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 always treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

People and their relatives consistently described staff as friendly, caring and respectful. People told us staff were, “Very nice, willing and friendly” and “Perfectly kind, helpful and respectful”. Relatives repeatedly said staff were, “Professional and genuinely caring” and they put people at ease during personal care.

Staff respected people’s privacy, always knocking before entering and ensuring they were covered appropriately during personal care. Relatives confirmed staff upheld people’s dignity, explaining care before delivering it and maintaining respectful interactions at all times.

Relative’s comments included, “They're really good. [Name] finds it difficult with other people coming in the home, but they put [name] at ease and is now relaxed with them. [Staff] have got to know [name] really well. They are observant, they can pick up on things and they let me know. They show concern and take things very seriously” and “They [staff] come in and talk to [name] and put [name] at ease. [Name] now tends to let them do things; they have done well.”

During the assessment staff and leaders demonstrated exceptional kindness, compassion and humanity. They spoke with deep emotion about the support they had provided to a person who had recently passed away and to their relative. Their account showed the provider went well beyond their contractual responsibilities, offering ongoing, sensitive support to the relative. They acted with genuine compassion, dignity and heartfelt concern, reflecting a culture where people are treated with exceptional kindness and respect.

One staff member told us from a personal point of view, they found the service very good ethically and morally and described the provider as always going “above and beyond”.

The provider treated people as individuals and was exceptional in how they made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. The provider took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

There was a clear emphasis within people’s care plans on how staff should support individuals to maintain their independence. People told us staff followed the guidance in their plans and their care was led by what they wanted and felt able to do. This helped ensure support was delivered in a way that promoted independence and respected people’s choices.

One professional said, "I am very grateful to Mullholland for treating [name] like an individual, listening and respecting my initial guidance, being incredibly flexible, especially at the initial stages, but fundamentally listening to [name] and having a sense of what they needed".

People told us staff treated them as individuals and respected their wishes and preferences One person said, “They know my routine, I really like the staff” and a relative told us, “The staff know [name] really well, especially the older care workers.”

The provider was exceptional at promoting people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.

People told us they were involved with planning the level of care they needed from the service. They said they had input into their care plans and were regularly invited to review their care. We saw evidence people and their relatives had been involved in discussions about care needs, demonstrating a collaborative approach to planning and reviewing support.

One person told us they enjoy the carers’ visits and feel the support has enabled them to “get their life back” by encouraging independence while still providing appropriate care. Since receiving Mulholland’s support, [name] has been mobilising more during care visits, which has led to them returning to activities and going out for lunch and trips with friends — something neither [name] nor their son thought they would regain.

The management team visited people regularly, both to provide care and to check staff were delivering support in the way people wanted. This helped ensure consistency and reassured people their preferences were being respected.

People also told us staff always checked they were happy to receive care, even though staff knew their routines well. This showed staff understood the importance of seeking ongoing consent and ensuring people remained in control of their care.

The provider was exceptional in how they listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. Staff responded to people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress.

The registered manager told us when they had remained with a vulnerable service user until 4:30am following an 11‑hour wait for ambulance attendance, ensuring the individual stayed safe, reassured, and emotionally supported throughout the ordeal. This response demonstrated a level of dedication and compassion that went far beyond expected roles and responsibilities, reflecting an exceptional commitment to duty and to the wellbeing of those in their care.

Staff understood when to seek additional support or escalate concerns appropriately. They recognised changes in people’s physical or emotional wellbeing and took timely action to ensure individuals remained safe and comfortable. This included communicating concerns to relatives or other professionals when required.

One professional told us, "[Name] would become easily overwhelmed and anxious. Mullholland appreciated [name] concerns, tailored their package of care to meet [name] individual needs which included spending valuable time building up a trusting relationship with [name]. Now, [name] has gone from strength to strength, so much so that the carers are even taking [name] out shopping once a week".

A relative told us, “[Name of registered manager] is very good and will advise us if they think [name] needs to see a GP. They have also made sure [name] has all the equipment they need.” This demonstrated staff awareness of risk and their proactive approach to maintaining people’s health and safety.

Staff communicated effectively within the team and with external professionals, ensuring any emerging needs were addressed promptly.

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care.

Staff wellbeing was a priority within the service, and the staff felt recognised and valued within their roles. Staff told us, “Since working with Mulholland, I have found them to be very professional and supportive. They also encourage me to further my role in care, giving relevant feedback about my service.” and “I do feel valued. The management in the office are supportive and we can call any time if we need help or advice. Also, with clients whenever we call the office, we get supported every time.”

There were incentives in place for staff including long service enhancements, staff awards and additional pay for completing training. Staff had access to an employee assistance programme to gain support for themselves should they need this at any time. The management team also supported staff to attend medical appointments if requested.

Staff received good information about the service when they joined in the form of a staff handbook and useful practice guides. One staff member told us, “I enjoy engaging with my management team, they are all very helpful, happy, communicative and approachable.”

Staff were supported with flexible working and reasonable adjustments, where needed. The registered manager told us, “Everyone has a different working pattern and we try accommodating this. We have a working pattern set so everyone knows it and when their time is off so they can plan around this.” One staff member praised the support they had received when they had been going through a personal matter, stating the management had been, “very considerate and supportive.”