The mental health trust that runs Mill View Hospital is “heading in the right direction”, according to chief executive Colm Donaghy.
He praised staff as Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust was given a rating of “requires improvement” by official inspectors from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) for the second time in two years.
The trust said: “The number of individual areas where Sussex Partnership services have been assessed as ‘good’ has increased since the CQC’s last visit in January 2015 from 32 to 39.”
Mr Donaghy, who retires at the end of March, said: “I want to thank staff for everything they have done to use the CQC’s feedback from their last inspection to help us continue improving services for patients. This is, after all, the whole point of this process.
“The CQC have told us we’re making good progress and are heading in the right direction.
“I think we’re really close to being rated ‘good’ and I hope this is the view the CQC reach when they come back to inspect us again.”
During the CQC inspection the views of more than 250 people were recorded among those who use Sussex Partnership services or who care for someone who does.
The trust said: “Most of the feedback was positive and staff were described as friendly, committed, caring and respectful.
“The CQC said the trust had made a number of improvements to the quality of its services but there was room for further improvement.
“The trust’s forensic and child and adolescent inpatient services have both been rated ‘outstanding’ for caring.
“The CQC also noted improvements across the board since their last visit within learning disability and rehab services.”
Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, which has just named Brighton and Hove’s former mental health service boss Sam Allen as the next trust chief executive, serves about 1.6 million people and employs about 3,800 staff.
The trust provides NHS mental health, learning disability, substance misuse and prison healthcare services across Sussex, as well as community mental health services for children and young people in parts of Kent and Hampshire.
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