Archived: Southwark Adult Substance Misuse Service

We rated this service as good because:

• The service provided safe care. The premises where clients were seen were safe and clean. The number of clients on the caseload of the teams, and of individual members of staff, was not too high to prevent staff from giving each client the time they needed. Staff assessed and managed risk well and followed good practice with respect to safeguarding.
• Staff developed holistic, recovery-oriented care plans informed by a comprehensive assessment. They provided a range of treatments suitable to the needs of the clients. Almost all care and treatment was provided in line with national guidance about best practice. Staff engaged in clinical audit to evaluate the quality of care they provided.
• The teams included, or had access to, the full range of specialists required to meet the needs of clients under their care. Managers ensured that these staff received training, supervision and appraisal. Staff worked well together as a multidisciplinary team and with relevant services outside the organisation.
• Staff treated clients with compassion and kindness, and understood the individual needs of clients. They actively involved clients in decisions and care planning.
• The service was easy to access. Staff planned and managed discharge well.
• The service was well led, and the governance processes ensured that its procedures ran smoothly.

However:

• Community alcohol detoxification treatment provided by the service did not follow best practice guidance. There was an increased risk clients could overdose or medicines could be diverted.
• The turnover of staff and agency workers in the service led to some clients having frequent changes of key worker which affected their experience.
• Only some of the consultation rooms where staff met with clients had alarms to summon additional staff in an emergency.