The Care Quality Commission
  • Community
  • Community substance misuse service

Archived: Lifeline Middlesbrough

PO Box 99, Town Hall, Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, TS1 2QQ (01642) 225479

Provided and run by:
Lifeline Project

Important: This service is now registered at a different address - see new profile

All Inspections

14 October 2013

During a routine inspection

Since October 2013 Lifeline Middlesbrough has made changes to the service. The staff team providing advice and practical support around dealing with all aspects of substance misuse, which included psychological sessions; and support for people who have recovered from an addiction has increased. This aspect of the service is not regulated under the Health and Social Care Act.

Fulcrum Medical Practice has started to provide clinical services for people with alcohol addictions. They have nurse prescribers and GPs visiting the service to see clients. CQC has inspected this practice and looked at all the services they offered.

A nurse is employed to assess minor injuries; complete HIV, Hepatitis and Chlamydia screening; and complete health checks. At present this post is vacant but the nurse working at Lifeline Redcar and Cleveland to visit when needed. This is the aspect of the service we inspect.

The nurse was not on duty so we were unable to speak specifically with people using this service during the inspection. However, we had met the nurse when we inspected Lifeline Redcar and Cleveland. We found that she was very knowledgeable about best practice for working with this client group. She assisted people to access appropriate treatment and supported them through all stages of their care. She was extremely effective at maintaining contact with people who led transient life styles.

2 August 2012

During a routine inspection

Lifeline provides substance misuse treatment, but this is in the form of discussions with people around the impact their addiction is having and encouraging them to address their habit, and working with them to around what treatment would best suit a person's needs. These elements of the service are not defined as treatment under the Health and Social Care Act so are not included as elements of this CQC registration. The regulated activities the service provides related to the nurse working at the centre, which consist of her assessing minor injuries to determine if people need to go to their GP; minor injury units or A&E, completing HIV, Hep B and C screening; completing health checks; showing people safe ways to reduce the risk associated with their addiction; and providing Hep B vaccinations. When speaking to people who used the service we concentrated on this part of the service. During the visit, we spoke with one person who used the service. They told us that they found the staff to be very approachable and that the nurse was extremely supportive.