workforce development
Staying ahead
Changes from CQC have
felt demanding. Let’s see
inspections as an opportunity,
says Jay Stewart
LAST YEAR, THE CARE QUALITY
COMMISSION (CQC) BEGAN RATING
SUBSTANCE MISUSE SERVICES PUBLICLY.
The sector is no stranger to inspections,
but publishing results means there’s
greater transparency of services delivered.
The good news is that the sector is
performing relatively well so far, with
many receiving good or outstanding
ratings.
Inspections have been the norm for
quite a long time now, but years ago our
experience of them was inconsistent in
terms of their depth, breadth and quality
standards.
Over recent years we’ve seen CQC
changing. It’s very welcome that there’s
now a framework guiding what ‘good’
looks like, and there are specialist advisers
and experts by experience taking part in
the inspection process. Equally, we’ve seen
an increase in knowledge and experience
among inspectors as they have examined
services across the country.
I appreciate that this is not a view
shared by everyone in the sector. As with
any human system, you can have
variations in judgements and in
application of the regulations, but one
cannot deny that the robustness and
transparency of the inspection process is
improving.
I’ve been involved in the health and
social care sector for more than 30 years,
so I know that it’s not easy to receive an
inspection that points out inadequacies in
a service. Indeed, it can be a painful blow
for the staff and peer mentors who give
their all to help support people through
recovery. However, we exist to deliver
quality services and I know that we all
strive to ensure that they are the best they
can be.
At Turning Point we’ve spent years
investing in our clinical expertise,
governance processes and support
systems, as well as in our leadership team.
All of this is essential to ensuring that
10 | drinkanddrugsnews | June 2019
quality services are delivered and that
learning processes are embedded into the
fabric of our systems.
I know that the CQC can be minimised
by some who do not want to accept that
the services they are responsible for need
to improve. In addition, I’ve no doubt that
there may be occasions when the CQC
gets it wrong. But we would do better to
focus on what we can learn from
inspections and what we can improve.
For me, one of the hallmark principles
of good clinical governance and practice is
being open to learning and continuous
improvement. CQC inspections are much
more than meeting basic regulations.
Anyone who has experienced a
comprehensive inspection will appreciate
the depth of inquiry that happens in many
inspection scenarios. As such, I think the
sector has much to gain from each other
through CQC inspections if we maintain
an open approach to learning.
There are still many more services to
inspect and no doubt areas for
improvement. However, the sector should
be proud of the results so far, which are
quite remarkable given the fiscal pressure
that we’ve been under. I think it stands as
a testament to the value we place on
quality within services.
I’d agree with those who say that
quality does come with a cost. But I would
also say that not providing quality services
would come with an even greater cost – to
a council’s reputation, to real sustainable
outcomes and, more importantly, to the
individuals who we all seek to support in
their recovery.
The new published reports give an
opportunity to ensure that quality
standards and investment are maintained.
We should continue to challenge the
imperfections in the system and do as we
have always done – to strive to improve,
learn and be the best we can be.
Jay Stewart is director of public health
and substance misuse at Turning Point
THE PLACE TO GROW
FDAP has been
refurbished and offers
much in the way of
professional support,
says Kate Halliday
WHEN THE FEDERATION OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL PROFESSIONALS (FDAP)
WAS TAKEN OVER BY SMMGP IN 2017 we worked hard to ensure a
smooth and immediate transition for all FDAP members, and this meant
continuing the existing systems of membership and registration.
Moving is chaos and once the dust had settled we were able to see
what needed refurbishing. The process of registration for FDAP members
was ‘old school’ in that a form had to be downloaded, printed,
completed, and posted, together with a cheque.
The SMMGP website was also being renewed so it made sense to bring
the FDAP information into a new combined website, launched in January
2019. FDAP membership applications – including payment – can now all
be done online, contributing to a big jump in membership this year.
Why become a FDAP member?
FDAP is the only professional registration body for drug and alcohol
workers and now that it’s under the SMMGP umbrella, there is access to
expert guidance and high quality CPD via the SMMGP Premium
Membership programme – all included in the FDAP membership fee.
With affiliation to several universities
that offer addiction graduate courses such
as London South Bank University, Bath and
University of West London, FDAP’s
assessment board is drawn from senior
lecturers and course leaders. We offer
affiliate membership to providers, with
benefits to nominated employees, and all
FDAP members benefit from discounts on
conferences and access to training.
FDAP offers a range of specialist
accreditation. The National Counsellor
Accreditation Certificate (NCAC) is for
counsellors who work with people who
are using alcohol and other drugs
problematically, as well as other
behavioural addictions; the Drug and
Alcohol Professional Certificate provides a
competence-based certification for
alcohol and drug workers, including
volunteers; while the Drug and Alcohol
Family Worker certificate (with Adfam) is designed for practitioners who
work with families affected by addiction.
We are proud of the strides that we have made to upgrade FDAP and
keep our members happy. The professional body was established, and
continues, to uphold standards of competency and professionalism
specific to our sector. We invite you to visit our new website and browse
what’s on offer: www.smmgp-fdap.org.uk
Kate Halliday is SMMGP/FDAP executive director
FDAP is
the only
professional
registration
body for drug
and alcohol
workers
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