Wirral Ways

Updated 16 December 2022

Wirral Ways to Recovery are part of a national charity who provide treatment and support to vulnerable people facing addiction, homelessness and domestic abuse. The service provides community-based care and treatment to individuals who require support around drug and/or alcohol use including community detoxification programmes. The service is delivered from two main hubs in Birkenhead and Wallasey.

Wirral Ways to Recovery is registered to provide the regulated activities diagnostic and screening procedures, and treatment for disease, disorder or injury. The service was last inspected in May 2019. The service was rated outstanding overall and in the caring and well-led domains. The service was rated good under the safe, effective and responsive domains.

We undertook this inspection as part of a random selection of services rated Good and Outstanding to test the reliability of our new monitoring approach. This was an unannounced visit which meant staff and clients did not know that we would be visiting.

Updated 16 December 2022

Our rating of this location stayed the same. We rated it as outstanding because:

• The service provided safe care. The premises where clients were seen were safe and clean. Risk assessments were comprehensive and reflected in risk management plans. 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.
• The service had a truly holistic approach to assessing, planning and delivering care and treatment to all people who use services. Clients had access to a full range of specialist staff and services to aid their recovery. The service was recovery focused and embedded in the local recovery community. They service ran a local recovery café.
• 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 and 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. Staff, teams and services were committed to working collaboratively and developed innovative and efficient ways to deliver more joined-up care to people who use services and relevant services outside the organisation.
• Staff treated clients with dignity, respect, compassion and kindness. The service demonstrated a holistic, person-centred approach in the delivery of care. Staff empowered clients to have a voice and ensured they were active partners in their care. Clients were involved in decision making about their own treatment and about service delivery. Clients were supported to access community support services and networks.
• The service was easy to access. There was a dedicated assessment team and clear treatment pathways. Staff were able to prioritise referrals and ensure urgent referrals were seen promptly. Staff planned and managed discharge well and had alternative pathways for people whose needs it could not meet.
• There was strong and effective leadership at all levels. Managers created a positive culture that encouraged staff feedback and innovation. Staff were positive about the service, managers and culture. Managers had an excellent understanding of the service and a clear overview of service performance. They were able to describe risks and challenges the service faced as well as actions to address them. There was a commitment to service improvement and innovation. Clients and staff were active participants in service development projects. Service improvement plans had been developed and delivered.

Updated 16 December 2022

Updated 8 August 2019