Archived: Lifeline Newcastle (Harm Reduction Service)

Updated 22 September 2017

Lifeline Newcastle (Harm Reduction Service) is commissioned by Newcastle-upon-Tyne City Council, Safer Newcastle Partnership to minimise the risks associated with using harmful substances.

This is an open access service, which assists people to deal with physical health needs related to their substance use. People who use the service can access information, regarding a range of injecting and other harm reduction equipment. The service offers brief interventions where people have the opportunity to speak with staff about the impact of their drug use.

The service carries out blood borne virus screening and employs a nurse who assists people with physical health needs related to their substance use Lifeline Newcastle (Harm Reduction Service) is registered with the CQC to carry out the following regulated activities:

• Treatment of disease, disorder, or injury.

• Diagnostic and screening procedures.

The service has a CQC registered manager. A registered manager is the person appointed by the provider to manage the regulated activity on their behalf, where the provider is not going to be in day-to-day charge of the regulated activities themselves. As a registered person, the registered manager has legal responsibilities in relation to that position.

CQC had inspected Lifeline Newcastle (Harm Reduction Service) in September 2012 and September 2013 using the previous inspection methodology. On both of these occasions, the service was found to be meeting all the required standards inspected.

This location was inspected on in December 2016 using the new Care Quality Commission inspection methodology. At this inspection, the provider was found to be in breach of Regulation 12 (Safe Care and Treatment),Health and Social Care Act (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. Lifeline has now gone into administration and at the time of inspection another provider who has taken over Lifeline Newcastle (Harm Reduction Service) was running the service. The change of provider took place on 1 June 2017.

Updated 22 September 2017

We carried out this focused inspection of Lifeline Newcastle (Harm Reduction Service) to review remedial actions taken by the provider in relation to a regulatory breach. The inspection was unannounced.

When we inspected the service in December 2016, we found the provider was in breach of Regulation 12 (Safe Care and Treatment),Health and Social Care Act (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. This regulation was not being met, as we found that:

• The provider had commissioned a fire risk assessment. This risk assessment identified a number of actions that were required to reduce the risks to clients and staff in the event of a fire. At the time of inspection, the service had not addressed all of the recommended actions in the report.

During this focused inspection, we reviewed the actions taken by the provider to address the issues raised in the previous inspection in December 2016. We were assured these changes had been made prior to the termination of the service.

At this inspection, we found that:

• The provider had addressed the issues in relation to the breach of Regulation 12 (Safe Care and Treatment), Health and Social Care Act (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, identified during the previous inspection in December 2016.