Updated 29 January 2016
We do not rate substance misuse services.
We found the following issues that the provider needs to
improve:
• Staff did not identify or manage risk effectively. Staff did not record the risks in sufficient detail or review clients’ risk assessments regularly. Clients did not have a risk management plan. This meant staff relied on verbal information from discussions with client and information recorded in the handover diary.
• Four out of the five care plans we looked at identified areas where changes could aid a person’s recovery. However, it was unclear what the actual goals were and how they could be achieved. This meant there was no clear indication that the client was involved in constructing their care plan or agreed with it. Clients could have a copy of their care plan if they requested it.
• The clients’ induction pack provided clear information on confidentiality and sharing of information. However, staff did not ask clients for consent to share information with the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS).
• While there was clear learning from serious incidents, staff did not to follow the governance structure for reporting all incidents. Staff dealt with some incidents informally and did not record them according to policy. This meant they could not identify trends.
• Staff did not document informal complaints raised during the daily ‘feelings’ meeting or how these complaints were resolved.
However we also found the following areas of good practice:
• The environment was homely and welcoming, with supportive and empathic staff.
• Clients were involved in decisions about their care and the service. They regulated their own code of conduct and agreed house rules with other clients.
• Staff had regular supervision and ongoing appraisals of their work performance from their manager, giving them the support and professional development needed to carry out their duties.
• Clients received care and treatment underpinned by best practice, and had access to psychosocial therapies, group work sessions and individual one to one sessions with a counsellor.
• Discharge planning included an aftercare package to support clients for up to five years following rehabilitation.