South Tyneside Substance Misuse Service - Cookson House

Updated 14 February 2019

South Tyneside Adult Recovery Service is delivered by Humankindcharity who have over 30 years’ experience of working to reduce deprivation and exclusion and to improving people’s wellbeing. Humankind took over the contract in South Tyneside in April 2018, integrating drug and alcohol services in the area. Humankind subcontract to Spectrum who deliver the clinical parts of the service.

South Tyneside Substance misuse service offer ways for local people with drug and alcohol problems to become free from their dependence. The service works to reduce the problems that substance misuse causes to families, friendships, workplaces and communities in South Tyneside.

The service works with each person to develop their potential for recovery. Individuals’ needs are considered to strive to support positive outcomes. The service works in partnership with a range of health, mental health, adult, children and young people’s social care, criminal justice agencies, voluntary and community sector services.

Updated 14 February 2019

We rated South Tyneside Substance misuse service as good because:’

• The provider had systems and processes that ensured the service was safe, with good staffing levels and skilled staff to deliver care. Staff ensured that risk to service users were well assessed and well managed, and that good quality harm reduction interventions were offered at every engagement.

• Staff delivered treatment in line with up to date best practice guidelines, including the segmentation of the opioid substitution caseload according to a service users stage of recovery. There was a commitment to interagency working with good working practices with primary care, the police and the local hospital. There was excellent multiagency working within the team.

• Staff treated and supported people with dignity and respect, and involved them as partners in their care. Staff were caring, and demonstrated compassion, respect and understanding for service users. Service users gave positive feedback about their treatment.

• The service was responsive to people’s needs and offered a range of recovery support interventions to help to achieve and maintain treatment goals. Staff understood the diverse range of service user needs and responded appropriately.

• The leadership, governance and culture of the service led to the delivery of high quality person-centred care. Leaders had an inspiring shared purpose with robust governance systems in place to manage risk and performance. A culture of learning and continuous improvement was promoted. Staff were well supported, with high levels of staff satisfaction.

However,

• Staff were not up to date with face to face Equality and Diversity and Mental Capacity Act training. Staff were booked onto courses in the next couple of months.

• Although every service user had an up to date care plan they lacked detail around the interventions required to deliver treatment outcomes.
• Staff understanding of the duty of candour was mixed.

Updated 14 February 2019