Lessons from Liverpool’s Rehab Center Closures
April 30, 2024
3:59 pm
Table of contents
Don’t use unregistered centres: check.
Sounds like good advice?
Yes.
As with any sector of healthcare there are those with good intentions and others who are less scrupulous.
Here, our experienced addictions clinicians, share their knowledge with you.
Each has over three decades of experience in assessing, diagnosing, prescribing for and treating people in recovery from addiction.
They have worked in nearly all the rehab centres in the UK.
The Care Quality Commission and We Do Recover Liverpool
In an ideal world, everyone in the sector only has the best interests of clients to heart.
There is nothing wrong with making a profit, otherwise private services would not exist.
However, it is imperative that those services are both legal and safe. In England, the body with the responsibility and power to inspect, licence and enforce is the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
The role of the CQC can not be overstated as there are bad actors in the sector.
This is no more clearly demonstrated than by the activities of two rehab centers in Liverpool: We Do Recover and We Can Recover.
A long and complex story, which makes for very disturbing reading.
We Do Recover, was set up as a community interest company.
This is not a charity but very similar. https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/woman-who-wanted-help-people-26268564 In other words: Do not use an unregistered centre.
We Do Recover Liverpool: What went wrong?
The center was aimed at those who were unable to afford mainstream private centers due to cost, yet was very slightly more expensive than other private services.
However, that was not the issue!
https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/woman-who-illegally-operated-drug-26730902
With We Do Recover, the owner simply did not wait until she had obtained registration with the Care Quality Commission.
Because of this, there were serious and untoward incidents that took place.
Thankfully, after a long and protracted investigation by the Care Quality Commission, the owner was successfully prosecuted.
The owner, on behalf of We Do Recover , entered a guilty plea but, as an individual, entered a not guilty plea.
Fenella Price was fined £68,000 as well as being struck off as a company director for a number of years.
Don’t use unregistered centres: check your facts
With a registered service you know that there will be a basic level of service provision which will mitigate risk and is designed to keep you safe.
If you use an unregistered service, you have no assurance.
Staff may not have been DBS checked, clinicians may not be properly qualified and the building could be structurally unsound.
As a result of We Do Recover, someone now has a criminal record and two buildings, for which rent was left unpaid, were reclaimed by their lawful owner.
The owner of We Do recover fled the UK to live in Thailand owing hundreds of thousands of pounds in unpaid wages and taxes.
How can Find Me a Rehab help?
We are addictions clinicians.
Each of us has over three decades of experience in assessing, diagnosing, prescribing for treating people caught up in addiction.
Key Takeaways : Don’t use unregistered centres: check
- Avoid unregistered centers to ensure safety and legality in addiction treatment.
- The Care Quality Commission (CQC) oversees registered services, ensuring they meet safety standards.
- We Do Recover Liverpool faced criminal charges for operating without registration, resulting in serious incidents.
- Using unregistered services poses risks like unqualified staff and unsafe facilities.
- Get expert advice on addiction treatment from experienced clinicians offering impartial support.
We have worked in prisons, private hospitals, private rehab centres, NHS commissioned services, local authority funded rehabs and statutory community addiction services.
As we are not tied to any particular service our advice is impartial as well as being free and confidential.
Get help today
Call, email, live chat or whattsap for advice on detox, rehab, home treatment, therapy, relapse prevention and aftercare.
We can advise on treatment options, treatment plans, locations, costings, logistics and availability.
At the end of the day: Don’t use unregistered centres: check
Need help finding the right rehab for you or a loved one? Get in touch today and take the first step toward recovery.
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