The Care Quality Commission
  • Community
  • Community substance misuse service

Archived: SMART Bracknell

Unit 16 -17 Market Street, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 1JG (01344) 312360

Provided and run by:
Smart Criminal Justice Services

All Inspections

17 May to 18 May 2016

During a routine inspection

We do not currently rate independent standalone substance misuse services.

We found the following issues that the service provider needs to improve:

  • There had been two unexpected deaths of clients in 2016 that had not been reported to the Care Quality Commission, although this took place after the inspection.
  • Risk management plans were not always in place for clients including those identified as medium and high risk.
  • Not all staff had received specialist training in substance misuse as recommended by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) although plans for this were in place.
  • There was not adequate accessibility for people with a physical disability.
  • It was initially difficult for staff to locate a complaints leaflet and these were not widely distributed or easily available for clients to access.

However, we also found the following areas of good practice:

  • The service followed guidelines on treatment and therapies from NICE and the Royal College of General Practitioners.
  • The service responded to changing client needs and risks and took the individual into account when considering a change to medicine dosage.
  • Client consent to treatment was sought regularly.
  • There was a low level (1.13%) of permanent staff sickness reported.
  • Uptake of mandatory training  was 70% and plans were in place for all staff to complete this.
  • Staff were aware of the safeguarding policy and procedures.
  • Staff knew the procedure for reporting incidents.
  • 1:1 sessions demonstrated that the staff members had a good level of knowledge around their client’s needs and had developed good therapeutic relationships.
  • Clients were very positive in their feedback of the service and the care and respect they received from staff members.
  • The service ran a weekly family support group for carers of clients using the service.
  • Staff told us they felt good about their job and that there was a strong culture in the team of wanting to help clients. Staff felt able to raise concerns without the fear of victimisation.
  • Staff felt that senior management listened to them and were visible.
  • Following feedback from clients the service had begun to implement a ‘skills level one ‘employability course’.

7 March 2014

During a routine inspection

We spoke with ten people who used the service in a group setting. They told us that 'this place gives us a purpose in our lives'. One person told us 'I was drinking for 23 years, now I have been clean for three months', another person told us 'these people have helped me stay clean for eight months, I am very grateful to them'. Another person told us 'I was terrified when I first came here, but they made me very welcome and gave me time to talk'. Another person told us 'they treat us with respect here; they always 'tell it like it is' which I appreciate'. This meant that people were treated with dignity and respect.

We found that the assessments were comprehensive and care plans included the goals which the people using the service agreed with their recovery workers.

We found that staff understood the safeguarding procedures very well and that the manager had made good links with both the Children's and Adults safeguarding teams.

We found that staff were well supervised and appropriately trained to undertake their work.

We saw SMART Bracknell listened to the views of people who used the service and made changes as a result.

We saw that there were effective systems in place to monitor the quality and safety of the service.