CQC develops substance misuse framework

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has appointed a new National Professional Advisor for Substance Misuse. The appointment marks a sharper focus by CQC on the ability of health and social care providers to meet the needs of people with substance misuse issues. As with other services it regulates, CQC inspectors will want to check that these services are safe, effective, caring, responsive to people’s needs and well-led.
 
Violeta Ainslie, has over 25 years of experience supporting people with substance misuse issues, having started as a drugs worker and been involved in projects providing support to adults, young people and offenders at various organisations including Kingston Youth Service and drug and alcohol charity, Cranstoun.
 
Violeta will now be leading on the recruitment of experts from across the sector and members of the public with experience of substance misuse services, to take part in a new advisory group that will help shape CQC’s approach to the regulation of these services.
 
Violeta said: “Over the coming months, we will be working to develop a framework that will inform what inspections for substance misuse services will look like. What will be most important is that these plans put people who use these services at the centre of our work.
 
“Having worked as a substance misuse provider, I am very much looking forward to harnessing the wealth of expertise that exists within the sector, and working with members of the public with experience in this area to develop our new approach.”
 
The new external advisory group will help to develop an inspection framework and handbook for service providers, and oversee pilot inspections that will take place in October 2014.
 
Final roll out of the new inspections for substance misuse service providers is expected to start in 2015, following evaluation of the pilot inspections.