The Importance of CQC in Addiction Treatment

When seeking rehab treatment in England, the Care Quality Commission is there to protect you.

The vast majority of healthcare provision is regulated.

Aside from some straightforward procedures such as ear cleaning, all other provision has to be registered with the appropriate body for the respective part of the United Kingdom.

In England, for example, the regulatory body is the Care Quality Commission.

Our experienced addictions clinicians each have over three decades of experience in assessing, diagnosing, prescribing for and treating people for addiction.

Here they share their knowledge with you.

The Care Quality Commission for England

The Care Quality Commission (https://www.cqc.org.uk) are a statutory, wholly independent, body whose role it is to regulate health services (with some exceptions) and to drive up quality and improvement.

Anyone providing, what is known as “regulated” activity has to be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in England.

Wales has it’s own regulator: https://www.careinspectorate.wales as does Scotland https://www.careinspectorate.com

As most services are in England, let’s examine the role of the CQC.

How do services register with the Care Quality Commission

Before a center opens, registration needs to be gained with the CQC.

There are multiple processes that need to be followed. One of the most important is the appointment of a registered manager.

This person, aside from having to have enhanced DBS, also needs to prove that they are a fit and proper person to run a service.

They also become liable, under statute, if things go wrong(https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/disclosure-and-barring-service)

All rehab centres must be registered with the Care Quality Commission

There are differing regulated activities. In short, if you are going to a rehab center where you will be given medication for “detox” and/or group therapy to assist you in addressing your dependency: The center needs to be registered.

There are some gray areas, and, previously, some centers have tried to avoid registration by claiming that they are simply providing the patient’s own medication for “detox.” Avoid such places: They are illegal.

It is essential that anyone looking to be admitted to a rehab centre checks, for themselves, that the centre is registered, and what it is registered for.

While a website, for a centre has the CQC logo on it and, in the body of the text of the website, they claim to be registered with the CQC, this may not be the case.

The CQC will (and indeed, have) prosecuted centre’s that operate without registration. The CQC inspects centre’s and publishes the results online.

When a centre receives a report, they have 21 days to publish this report on their website: This is a legal requirement.

However, there is no legal requirement to have a website.

Don’t panic if there is no inspection report. Once a service is registered, unless there are concerns raised, there is no need for an inspection, and hence a report.

A centre that has recently opened won’t have one.

They are inspected after a period and, getting registered, means they would pass an inspection.

How does the Care Quality Commission grade rehab centres?

The CQC provides a grading of either: Outstanding (green star) Good (green circle) Requires improvement (yellow circle) Inadequate (red).

They assess services under the following banners: Is the service safe? Effective? Caring? Responsive? Well led? An overall rating is then given, as per above.

Thus, a center could have one area as inadequate, but overall: requires improvement.

Or good in three areas, outstanding in one and be good, overall. Should it be required, the CQC can place a center in special measures and use their powers to enforce change.

Where necessary, the CQC can suspend registration and prosecute. The simple rule is: Check the center with the CQC website or helpline: yourself.

There is free 24 hour addiction advice available at find me a rehab. Call and speak to an experienced addictions clinician for a totally free rehab referral service.

Trading without Care Quality Commission registration

Where people set up illegal services, the CQC will take, very robust, action.

Fenella Price, of Liverpool, ran an illegal service and ended up with a criminal conviction and a £68,000 fine (as well as being banned from directorship for five years.)

Illegal services are dangerous. Always check the registration yourself.

How can Find Me a Rehab help?

We are addictions clinicians.

Each of us has over three decades experience working in residential rehab centres as well as prisons, private hospitals, NHS commissioned services and local authority community services as well as statutory funded detox units.

As we are not tied to any particular service, our advice is impartial as well as being free and confidential.

Get help today

Call, live chat, email or whattsap one of our clinicians on any aspect of addiction, detox, rehab, home treatment, therapy, relapse prevention and aftercare.

They can advise on treatment plans, treatment options, locations, costings, logistics and availability.

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