- Community substance misuse service
Cranstoun Worcestershire
Report from 10 September 2025 assessment
Contents
Ratings - Substance misuse services
Our view of the service
We completed an assessment and inspection of Cranstoun Worcestershire on 14 October 2025.
The assessment followed CQC’s Single Assessment Framework (SAF) and considered all quality statements under each key question.
A combination of onsite and offsite inspection and assessment activity took place between 14 October 2025 and 4 November 2025.
We spoke with 13 members of staff and 11 clients during the assessment.
This was an unannounced assessment, which means the service was not told an assessment was going to be starting beforehand.
Cranstoun Worcestershire provides support to adults and young people under 18 experiencing difficulties with drug or alcohol use. The service operates across Worcestershire, with a central hub in Worcester, delivering interventions through shared care and community outreach locations across six districts.
The service had previously been assessed by CQC in February 2024 but did not receive a rating at that time due to an insufficient quantity of assessed quality statements.
People's experience of this service
We spoke with 11 clients across the service about their experiences of care.
Most clients gave positive feedback about the kindness and respect shown by staff. One client explained that staff were non-judgemental and created a supportive and empathetic environment. Another client told us that staff were polite, helpful, and often went the extra mile.
Clients described the service as supportive, professional, and effective, and many highlighted the positive impact of staff support and the quality of treatment offered.
Ten of the 11 clients felt staffing levels were adequate and said their sessions had never been cancelled because of staffing issues. One client reported that they had experienced cancelled appointments and therapy sessions at short notice due to staff sickness.
Clients said staff explained information clearly, including details about medication and available treatment options. Most clients felt listened to, involved in decisions, and encouraged to take ownership of their recovery.
However, some clients did not feel comfortable with the waiting room arrangements. They felt clients on a detox programme should be separated from clients who were still using substances.