Cranstoun Worcestershire

On this page

• Overview
• Shared direction and culture
• Capable, compassionate and inclusive leaders
• Freedom to speak up
• Workforce equality, diversity and inclusion
• Governance, management and sustainability
• Partnerships and communities
• Learning, improvement and innovation

The service was consistently managed and well-led. Leaders and the culture they created promoted high-quality, person-centred care. Leaders had the skills, knowledge and experience to perform their roles. Staff knew and understood the provider’s vision and values and how they applied to the work of their team. Staff felt respected, supported and valued. Governance processes operated effectively. Performance and risk were managed well. Teams had access to the information they needed to provide safe and effective care. Staff collected and analysed data about outcomes and performance. They used this to identify improvements.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The evidence showed a good standard. The service had a shared vision, strategy and culture. This was based on transparency, equity, equality and human rights, diversity and inclusion, engagement, and understanding challenges and the needs of people and their communities.

Leaders ensured there was a clear shared vision and strategy, with staff understanding and supporting the organisation’s vision, values, and goals.

Staff described the values of Cranstoun Worcestershire as creating a non-judgemental environment that consistently supported recovery, reduced harm, and empowered individuals to make positive and meaningful changes in their lives.

Staff and leaders demonstrated a positive, compassionate, and listening culture that promoted trust, respect, and understanding across teams.

The evidence showed a good standard. The service had inclusive leaders at all levels who understood the context in which they delivered care, treatment and support and embodied the culture and values of their workforce and organisation. Leaders had the skills, knowledge, experience and credibility to lead effectively. They did so with integrity, openness and honesty.

Staff reported that managers were approachable, responsive, and proactive, consistently listening to staff and being receptive to ideas, creating a supportive environment where team members felt valued and heard.

We were informed that the Assistant Director for Drug and Alcohol Services had visited the service three times in the three months preceding our inspection, with the Interim CEO and Director of People and Culture scheduled to visit the following month.

The evidence showed a good standard. The service fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard.

Staff had opportunities to provide feedback about the service through participation in the annual staff survey and a more recent anonymous pulse survey, enabling them to share their views openly.

Staff reported feeling able to raise concerns, provide honest feedback, and make complaints without fear of retribution, discrimination, or negative consequences.

Cranstoun Worcestershire recently introduced service-wide staff forums, allowing staff to discuss a broad range of topics, share opinions, and influence practice. These forums were established in response to previous feedback highlighting a need for improved communication.

The evidence showed a good standard. The service valued diversity in their workforce. They work towards an inclusive and fair culture by improving equality and equity for people who work for them.

We spoke to staff who described managers as flexible and accommodating, supporting flexible working arrangements to meet caring responsibilities and health needs.

Staff reported that reasonable adjustments were made, such as modifying work schedules to meet individual needs, enabling staff to carry out their duties safely and effectively.

The evidence showed a good standard. The service had clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability and good governance. They used these to manage and deliver good quality, sustainable care, treatment and support. They act on the best information about risk, performance and outcomes, and share this securely with others when appropriate.

The service demonstrated strong governance, clear leadership, and well-defined accountability arrangements. Staff understood their roles and responsibilities.

There was structured audit programme covering care delivery, risk assessments, safeguarding, and harm reduction interventions. Audit results were reviewed, and recommendations were implemented to improve client outcomes and service quality.

Regular multidisciplinary meetings ensured essential information was shared, including learning from incidents, complaints, safeguarding alerts, and reviews of deaths, with staff actively implementing recommendations to enhance safety and effectiveness.

Managers had access to performance, staffing, and care delivery data, enabling them to monitor service effectiveness, make informed decisions, and address emerging risks or concerns efficiently.

Staff reported that equipment and information technology were reliable and sufficient to carry out their roles effectively. Systems were user-friendly and supported safe, high quality service delivery.

The service worked collaboratively with internal and external partners, including GPs, pharmacies, local authorities, and mental health services, ensuring integrated care and treatment planning tailored to individual client needs.

Learning from audits, complaints, incidents, and safeguarding alerts was embedded across the service, with staff reflecting on findings in team meetings to continuously improve processes and client outcomes.

The evidence showed a good standard. The service understood their duty to collaborate and work in partnership, so services work seamlessly for people. They share information and learning with partners and collaborate for improvement.

Staff and leaders were open, transparent, and actively collaborated with a wide range of external stakeholders, including local authorities, the local NHS trust, probation and criminal justice teams, and voluntary sector organisations, to improve service delivery.

Leaders described working closely with local employment, training, and housing services, enabling clients to access opportunities that supported recovery, personal development, and successful reintegration into their communities.

The service-maintained partnerships with NHS colleagues and social care teams, ensuring clients received joined-up care and timely support for both physical and mental health needs.

Staff engaged with community and voluntary sector teams, including homelessness and criminal justice services, to support clients’ transitions and continuity of care, using collaborative approaches to reduce risks and promote positive outcomes.

Cranstoun Worcestershire demonstrated a strong commitment to continuous learning, improvement, and innovation.

The service introduced several innovations tailored to client needs, including the ambulatory detox programme, which enabled eligible clients to complete detox safely, under clinical supervision, from home or in an ambulatory detoxification programme within the service.

Other innovations included wellbeing initiatives for clients, such as tea and toast sessions, Couch to 5k, and NSP Direct, which ensured discreet access to injecting equipment and harm reduction advice.

We heard how the recently appointed Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Co-ordinator promoted and facilitated increased HCV testing and delivered blood borne virus training to staff, enhancing knowledge and confidence across the team.

Cranstoun supported clients to submit substances for external testing, reducing drug-related harm by providing accurate information about the contents of substances.

An AI-powered chatbot, Drugbot, was delivered across the organisation and enabled users to access anonymous, drug-related information at any time. The service was accessible to anyone, regardless of whether they were in treatment or had direct contact with the service.