West Cheshire substance misuse service rated ‘good’ by Care Quality Commission

A substance misuse treatment service which supports people across West Cheshire has been given a ‘good’ rating by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

CQC inspectors highlighted that staff at the WDP service, known as New Beginnings “treated clients with compassion and kindness” and that the service “provided a range of treatments suitable to the needs of the clients and in line with national guidance about best practice.”

The inspectors also identified WDP’s Capital Card scheme as an area of outstanding practice in the service. The Capital Card scheme enables people to build up points as they access treatment, which they can then ‘spend’ on activities in their local community.

The CQC report also included positive feedback from people supported by the service. Inspectors reported that they described staff as “considerate, caring and supportive” and they felt staff had “gone the extra mile to help them”.

Cheshire West and Chester Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, Cllr Val Armstrong, said: “I would like to commend the team at New Beginnings for the dedication, kindness and compassion they have shown and continue to show in delivering our substance misuse service.

“I am incredibly proud of this crucial service and the successful partnership forged between the council’s commissioning and public health teams and staff at New Beginnings.

“The team are dedicated to ensuring that this important work is delivered in a safe and effective way and I would like to thank them for all of their hard work and dedication.  

“I also wish to commend them for their outstanding practice in relation to the Capital Card, as highlighted by inspectors.”

Yasmin Batliwala, Chair of WDP, added: “We are delighted with this excellent CQC report acknowledging the high quality of our New Beginnings service within Cheshire West and Chester.

“It is a credit to the team for their hard work and commitment to our service users, as it recognises the importance we place on providing a service which is tailored to the needs of each individual who comes to us for support.

“Working closely with our commissioners is a key feature of our success and together we are able to deliver so much more. It is a partnership we value immensely and hope to continue to build on.

“We remain grateful to the users of our service for having faith in us to assist them in improving their lives.”

The areas of good practice highlighted by the CQC were:

• Staff developed holistic, recovery-orientated care plans informed by a comprehensive assessment. They provided a range of treatments suitable to the needs of service users and in line with national guidance around best practice.
• Staff treated service users with compassion and kindness and understood their individual needs. They actively involved them in decision making and care planning.
• The service was well led and governance processes ensured that quality and performance was monitored, incidents and complaints were investigated, and learning was disseminated to staff.
• Staff assessed and managed risks to service users and themselves well. They responded promptly to any sudden deterioration in a service user’s health and when necessary and appropriate, staff worked with service users and their families and carers to develop crisis plans.

New Beginnings are looking forward to using the findings of the report to further build on their services. To access the full CQC inspection report, please click here: https://www.cqc.org.uk/location/1-6604596631

The New Beginnings service, which has bases in Ellesmere Port, Chester and Northwich, as well as satellite services in Frodsham, Neston and Winsford, supported 1,495 people between 1 April 2021 and 14 February 2022.

Anyone living in Cheshire West and Chester who would like to get support in relation to their own or someone else’s drug or alcohol use can contact New Beginnings on 0300 303 4548 or by emailing cwac@wdp.org.uk (for people aged over 18) and cwacyp@wdp.org.uk (for young people)

More information and an online referral form can also be found at:

www.wdp.org.uk/cheshire-west-and-chester

WDP’s New Beginnings service is made up of substance misuse workers, doctors, nurses and psychologists, along with peer mentors and volunteers. The service is free and confidential.

The team also offers support to loved ones of those who are receiving treatment.

The service is open to all residents of Cheshire West and Chester.