We rated Addaction Wigan and Leigh as good because:

• The service provided safe care. The premises where clients were seen were safe and clean. The service did not have waiting lists and clients who required urgent support were given priority and seen promptly. Staff assessed and managed risk well and followed good practice with respect to safeguarding.

• Staff levels and skill mix were planned, implemented and reviewed to keep clients safe at all times. Any staff shortages had been responded to quickly and adequately. There were daily flash meetings, effective risk management and multidisciplinary team meetings held to ensure staff could manage risks to clients.

• Clients’ care and treatment was planned and delivered in line with current evidence-based guidance and outcome measures were in place to check consistency of practice. Clients’ individual needs and preferences were central to the planning and delivery of tailored services. Clients had comprehensive assessments of their care needs which considered physical, mental and emotional health.
• Staff treated clients with compassion and kindness and understood the individual needs of clients. They actively involved clients and families and carers in care decisions. Clients were supported to take responsibility for their own recovery and staff supported them in a non-judgemental way to achieve this.
• There was a proactive approach to understanding the needs of diverse groups of clients and to deliver care in a way that met their needs and promoted equality. The service had a community based approach ensuring clients could receive care within their community.
• The service was well led and the governance processes ensured that procedures relating to the work of the service ran smoothly.

However:

• We found the standard of entries into care records varied between members of staff with some staff recording insufficient detail. However; audits had identified this and managers were addressing these issues with the individual staff members.