Atlantic Recovery Centre

We rated CGL Dudley and Walsall as good because:’

• Staff understood how to protect clients from abuse and the service worked well with other agencies to do so. Staff had training on how to recognise and report abuse, and they knew how to apply it.
• Staff kept detailed records of clients’ care and treatment. Records were clear, up-to-date and easily available to all staff providing care.
• The service used systems and processes to safely prescribe, administer, record and store medicines. Staff regularly reviewed the effects of medications on each clients mental and physical health.
• The service managed client safety incidents well. Staff recognised incidents and reported them appropriately. Managers investigated incidents and shared lessons learned with the whole team and the wider service. When things went wrong, staff apologised and gave clients honest information and suitable support.
• Staff completed comprehensive assessments with clients when accessing the service. Staff made clients aware of harm minimisation and the risks of continued substance misuse. Safety planning was an integral part of recovery plans.
• Staff provided a range of treatment and care for clients based on national guidance and best practice. They ensured that clients had good access to physical healthcare and supported them to live healthier lives.
• The teams included or had access to the full range of specialists required to meet the needs of clients under their care. Managers made sure that staff had the range of skills needed to provide high quality care. They supported staff with supervision and opportunities to update and further develop their skills. Managers provided an induction programme for new staff.
• Staff from different disciplines worked together as a team to benefit clients. They supported each other to make sure clients had no gaps in their care. The teams had
• effective working relationships with other relevant teams within the organisation and with relevant services outside the organisation.
• Staff treated clients with compassion and kindness. They understood the individual needs of clients and supported clients to understand and manage their care, treatment or condition.
• The service was easy to access. Staff planned and managed discharge well. The service had alternative care pathways and referral systems for people whose needs it could not meet.
• The design, layout, and furnishings of treatment rooms supported clients’ treatment, privacy and dignity.
• The service met the needs of all clients, including those with a protected characteristic or with communication support needs.
• Leaders had the skills, knowledge and experience to perform their roles. They had a good understanding of the services they managed and were visible in the service and approachable for clients and staff.
• Our findings from the other key questions demonstrated that governance processes operated effectively at team level and that performance and risk were managed well.

However:

• Appraisal completion rates were low due to a change in the CGL appraisal system. The service also recognised that work needed to be carried out to improve staff completion rates and were in the process of doing this therefore suspending the appraisal process temporarily.