The Care Quality Commission
  • Community
  • Community substance misuse service

CGL Manchester

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

43A Carnarvon Street, Manchester, Lancashire, M3 1EZ (0161) 823 6306

Provided and run by:
Change, Grow, Live

All Inspections

During an assessment of Substance misuse services

Mental Capacity Act Compliance

  • 100% of staff had had training in the Mental Capacity Act. This was eLearning and included Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.
  • Staff did not always have a good understanding of the Mental Capacity Act, in particular the five statutory principles. When asked, staff told us that they were not involved in capacity assessments, and that they would always refer to statutory services to lead on this. However, when explored, staff were making assessments of people’s capacity to engage in services and make decisions, for example when they were under the influence of substances.
  • The provider had a policy on the Mental Capacity Act. Staff were aware of the policy and had access to it.
  • Staff took all practical steps to enable clients to make their own decisions. Where there were concerns about a client's understanding, records showed that contact had been made with mental health services and safeguarding referrals had been made for individuals who were being taken advantage of, related to their understanding.
  • For clients who might have impaired mental capacity, staff assessed and recorded capacity to consent appropriately. Staff assessed people’s capacity to consent to their treatment at point of assessment for the service. There was a prompt sheet for staff to follow, which included clients’ ability to understand the information, retain the information, weigh up the information and communicate their decision.
  • When clients lacked capacity, staff made decisions in their best interests, recognising the importance of the person’s wishes, feelings, culture and history. Records showed staff were involved in ‘managing high risk together’ meetings for clients where several professionals were involved with clients who were living in high risk situations.
  • The service did not have arrangements to monitor adherence to the Mental Capacity Act.

During an assessment of the hospital overall

We assessed CGL Manchester from 8 to 10 July 2025.

We assessed the service due to the length of time since it was last inspected.

CGL Manchester was registered with CQC on 29 January 2018 to deliver the regulated activity Treatment of disease, disorder or injury and on 17 March 2020 for the regulated activity Diagnostic and Screening procedures. There was a Registered Manager in post. The regulated activities were delivered from 5 locations across Manchester. We visited all 5 locations:

  • Manchester - Bradnor Point
  • Manchester - Zion Community Centre
  • Manchester - Carnarvon Street
  • Manchester - Resonance Centre
  • Manchester - Oldham Road

In addition to the above locations, the regulated activities were delivered across the city as part of the outreach element of the service, which included day centres, GP practices and people’s own homes.

Since the last inspection in December 2018, the service had met the actions in relation to the environmental concerns at Carnarvon Street (issues with the security door at the bottom of the stairs and the storage of medical equipment and cleaning materials).

We rated the service as good. The service had made improvements and had addressed the environmental concerns identified at the last inspection. The service were innovative with the variety of support offered to clients, including one to one appointments, group activities and outreach support to people who were marginalised, including people who were homeless.  Clients were supported to have choice and control and were involved in planning their care.

However, not all staff received the required training for their role. There was a lack of oversight of the induction for new staff.

We found a breach of regulation in relation to training and induction. We have asked the provider for an action plan in response to the concerns found at this assessment.

10 and 11 December 2018

During a routine inspection

We rated the service as good because:

  • Feedback from clients and carers was very positive. Staff supported clients in a very caring way to participate in activities run by the service and in the community.
  • Staff responded to changing risks to clients, or posed by them.
  • The service provided a robust prescribing and therapeutic programme tailored to the needs of clients and in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.
  • The service used newly appointed staff to specifically reduce the number of clients not attending appointments by identifying those at risk of disengaging from or experiencing unplanned exit from the service during treatment. They contacted those at risk between appointments and co-ordinated their care and treatment between teams with CGL Manchester.

However;

  • There was a breach of infection control with wet mops and cloths not stored correctly to the extent that they were being stored over unopened boxes of needles for the needle exchange. The boxes were wet.
  • In one location a security door was damaged allowing the public uncontrolled entry.
  • The provider should review its current infection control training to understand whether it is adequate for the needs of the service
  • Clients’ care records were not always updated in a consistent format. Individual care and recovery plans were not updated as individua plans. Instead staff updated the ‘contacts’ section with all new information. New users of the system would be unclear were to access current information or assessments.
  • Management systems were not always effective. Despite monthly clinical audits being completed the issue of safe storage of cleaning equipment and needles for the needle exchange was not identified. There was a failure to maintain the buildings environments to a safe standard.