Local charity Action for Change passed an inspection of their alcohol service with high standards across key areas like care, welfare, and quality of service. Service users spoke highly of being treated in a non-judgmental way that made them feel safe and helped turn their lives around. Staff felt well-supported in their roles to treat users as they would want to be treated. The Chief Executive said the care and welfare of users is crucial through the hard work of staff.

1. Alcohol Service Saves Lives
Local charity, Action for Change, passed an unannounced Care Quality Commissions
Inspection with flying colours.
The service was shown to have high standards across 5 key areas such as Care and welfare
of people who use their service and Assessing and monitoring the quality of service
provision. Individuals interviewed who have used the service to help them with their alcohol
consumption spoke highly at the quality of care they received.
They spoke about the non judgemental way they were treated and how they were made to
‘’feel safe and comfortable’’ with staff being ‘’friendly and ‘’very person centred’’. In fact they
explained how the service had helped them ‘’turn their lives around and stay in control.’’ Two
service users told the inspectors that Action for Change had literally ‘saved their lives’.
Staff who were spoken to by the inspectors feel that they are well supported in their roles and
that they receive up-to-date training to enable them to do their jobs to the best of their ability.
As they stated “we treat service users as we would want to be treated". The overall ambience
of the service and staff is that of offering a relaxed, non-judgemental, forward thinking and
supportive environment.
The Chief Executive, John Reading commented on the report saying that it is through the
hard work of all the staff that service users are cared for in the most positive way. As he says
“We work very hard to ensure the care and welfare of our service users is crucial in meeting
their needs and support.”
If you are concerned that your drinking is becoming an issue you can contact Action for
Change by calling 0300 111 2470 (local rate) or going to www.action-for-change.org to find
out more about the support they can offer.
Notes for Editors:
Action for Change provides the East Sussex community alcohol team service, a range of
advice, information and help for adults across the county who have concerns regarding
alcohol. We are a locally based organisation with over 19 years’ experience of providing
alcohol treatment services with proven positive outcomes. NHS Sussex and East Sussex
County Council fund the Community Alcohol Team service. For further details, please contact
John Reading, Chief Executive, john.reading@action-for-change.org.