The Care Quality Commission
  • Residential substance misuse service

Archived: Equinox Slough

316-320 High Street, Slough, Berkshire, SL1 1NB (01753) 523182

Provided and run by:
Equinox Care

All Inspections

9 January 2014

During an inspection looking at part of the service

When we visited the service on 22 April 2013, we had concerns how two standards were being managed ' supporting workers and assessing and monitoring the quality of service provision. We set compliance actions for both these areas. The provider sent us an action plan which outlined changes they would make to become compliant.

We returned to the service on 9 January 2014 to check if improvements had been made. We found improvements had been made for both standards.

Staff members now received regular supervision in line with the provider's policy. All staff had received training and refreshed training when required. The provider had actioned outstanding issues raised from a yearly service review in March 2013. Risk assessment paperwork was adapted to ensure consistency when recording onto the provider's computer system. People who used the service now had an effective outlet for providing feedback on the service which was actioned appropriately.

13 June 2013

During a routine inspection

We talked with two people using the service. People told us they valued the service. They said it was helping them to remain off drugs and alcohol. They valued the support offered by staff. Both were in contact with a substance misuse treatment service in Slough. One person said they had relapsed for a period of time and gone back to using drugs over the course of the previous year. They said the service had supported them through that very difficult time although it had not been easy. One person said a recent letter regarding their accommodation which had been handed to everyone using the service (but was not from Equinox) had deeply upset them. They acknowledged, however, that the service was addressing that matter.

We found people received care and support which met their needs. People's care and support was coordinated because the service cooperated well with other services in Slough. People using the service were safe and their needs were met by staff who had been appointed through an appropriate selection process. However, people's health and welfare needs may not always be met because staff had not received sufficient induction, training and development. The arrangements for monitoring the quality of the service had failed to effectively address the consequences of changes in the service's role over the last two years.

1 August 2012

During a routine inspection

People told us they valued the support they received from the service. One person said 'Where else would I get this support? It's there if you want it'. They said it had helped them to gain control over their drug use or to cease using drugs completely. For each person the service had provided accommodation, support from staff, structure to their time, and help in liaison with outside organisations. For some it had helped them to maintain contact with their families.

Each person we saw told us that staff involved them in their plan of support. One person described it in terms of being involved in their own plan of recovery. They said there was always a member of staff around to talk to. People had seen their support plans and discussed them with staff. Through individual key working sessions they were able to look at progress over time. People said that staff acknowledged their wish for privacy.

People expressed concern about some of the changes that had taken place in the service since April 1 2012 but acknowledged that those had been imposed as a result of changes in local policy. They said people were now less involved with each other since the daily programme of group work no longer took place - although small informal meetings were often held around the service.