We Are With You East Ayrshire given positive review

We Are With You, based in Kilmarnock but working across the local authority area, provides support to 217 adults affected by the misuse of drugs, alcohol, and other substances.

The service offers individual, group, and family support across the local authority area, including both urban and rural locations.

An unannounced inspection by the Care Inspectorate on October 21 and 22 found the service to be 'very good' in almost all areas.

The inspection involved speaking to staff and people using the service, observing daily practice, and reviewing documents.

Its staff, support, and planning were all given 'very good' ratings, with the one exception being their leadership which was ranked 'good'.

The staff team displayed a 'deep commitment' to their roles, often going beyond standard requirements to cover rural and remote areas and accommodate clients' schedules.

This dedication was highly regarded by clients, who noted the positive impact on their recovery journeys and life choices.

The report highlighted the service's strengths in areas such as client-centred wellbeing support and collaborative and multi-agency efforts.

The inspectors praised the service for its initial assessments, goal-setting, and progress tracking, as well as its partnerships with NHS, recovery networks, advocacy services, and organisations like Women’s Aid.

They also noted that people were fully involved in setting their goals and that those supported were very positive about the team and the support that was given by the service.

However, the report identified areas for improvement, including management's documentation of staff observations and consistency in supervisory records.

The inspectors mentioned that the management team should carry out and record direct observations of staff.

The service was also encouraged to enhance its feedback collection system to obtain more constructive suggestions.

Despite these areas for development, the service received no recent upheld complaints, and the report noted well-managed responses to incidents, ensuring regulatory compliance.

It was concluded that the staff team were very passionate about the service they provided and the quality of information in people's personal plans and notes was consistent across the team.