The Care Quality Commission has completed a focused inspection of substance misuse services provided by PCP Clapham, in South West London, following previous action to restrict detox services being offered to patients.
PCP Clapham provides a day therapy service for people with substance misuse problems, including rehabilitation and alcohol and opiate detoxification when required. Patients accessing day services sleep at one of the provider’s separately registered services at night.
CQC inspectors previously identified a number of concerns regarding the care and treatment of patients going through alcohol and opiate detoxification during an inspection in summer 2015. Inspectors found that the majority of staff had not received any training regarding the complications of withdrawal from alcohol and drugs and only had superficial knowledge of the signs and symptoms they needed to identify. Between January 2014 and May 2015 there were three incidents of patients suffering seizures during withdrawal from alcohol.
During the recent focused inspection in December 2015, inspectors found that the provider had put new procedures and protocols in place to ensure that detoxification could be safely provided. Staff had received specific training regarding how to care for patients going through alcohol and opiate detoxification.
Staff had full knowledge of the required checks and health risks for patients and new admission criteria had been put in place for patients.
Risk assessment and management plans had been redesigned and were fully comprehensive, and clear processes were in place to manage patients experiencing seizures in order to ensure that staff could provide appropriate support.
A full report of the inspection has been published on this website.
Dr Paul Lelliott, Deputy Chief Inspector of Hospitals (and CQC lead for mental health), said:
"During our previous inspection at PCP Clapham, we identified an unacceptable level of risk to patients, and therefore took enforcement action in order to protect the welfare of patients and the public.
“Inspectors found a number of improvements during our most recent inspection, including specific staff training in detoxification, new patient admission criteria and new comprehensive risk assessment and management plans.
“We are pleased to see that PCP Clapham has taken the necessary urgent and sustained action to ensure the safe provision of detoxification treatment for all patients.
“We will continue to monitor progress and will return to check that improvements to service provision remain in place.”
Ends
For further information please contact Yetunde Akintewe, CQC Regional Engagement Manager, on 07471 020 659. For media enquiries, journalists wishing to speak to the press office outside of office hours can find out how to contact the team here. For general enquiries, please call 03000 61 61 61.
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Read our reports abour PCP Clapham.
“We are pleased to see that PCP Clapham has taken the necessary urgent and sustained action to ensure the safe provision of detoxification treatment for all patients.
Dr Paul Lelliott, Deputy Chief Inspector of Hospitals (and CQC lead for mental health