Change Grow Live Barnet

Updated 19 February 2026

Change Grow Live – Barnet is part of the larger Change Grow Live provider who deliver a not-for-profit drug and alcohol treatment service nationally. The service provides specialist community treatment and support for adults and young people affected by substance misuse who live in Barnet.

They offer a range of services including initial advice; assessment and harm reduction services including needle exchange; prescribed medicines for alcohol and opiate detoxification and stabilisation; naloxone dispensing; group recovery programmes; one-to-one key working sessions and doctor and nurse clinics which include health checks, blood borne virus and hepatitis C testing.

The service works in partnership across Barnet with other agencies, including NHS services, social services, probation services, GPs and pharmacies.

The service is registered for the following regulated activity: Treatment of disease, disorder or injury. There was a registered manager at the service. The service had moved premises since we last inspected in December 2021.

Improvements had been made to ensure that people received safe care and treatment. Staff completed life support training and regular prescribing reviews took place and were monitored. Governance procedures had also been strengthened and the risks associated with delivering the service were identified with appropriate mitigations put in place. In addition, safeguarding responsibilities were understood, medicines were managed safely, and prescribing decisions showed multidisciplinary input. People were treated with kindness and respect, and care planning reflected individual needs and preferences. Recovery-focused activities helped reduce isolation and promote healthier lifestyles. Information was clear and accessible, and feedback was gathered through multiple routes with actions taken in response. Leaders described a clear vision and values, and staff recognised these in practice.

Staff adapted communication for language and literacy needs and considered cultural factors. People were supported to make informed choices through flexible appointments and practical help, such as assistance with GP visits. Recovery plans were person‑centred and regularly updated, reflecting individual goals like reconnecting with family or accessing housing support

However, further improvements were needed. Some staff held high caseloads as measures to address this had not yet impacted. There was some fluctuations in timely triage and whilst measures to address this had also been implemented their efficacy could not yet be established. Some physical health checks had not been completed. Some specialist assessment tools to support treatment had also not been completed. Clearly documented exit plans were not always available, which could result in delays to timely action if keyworkers were not available. This was a breach of Regulation 12 Safe care and treatment.

We also found that further strengthening and embedding of governance systems was needed. Some environmental checks had not been carried out. There were low supervision rates for volunteers. Some incident records did not have completion dates or checks that actions had been completed. Monitoring of outcomes was in place, but compliance with key indicators such as risk reviews and Treatment Outcomes Profile returns was below target, and whilst improvement actions were recently introduced, the impact of these could not yet be demonstrated. The provider had recently introduced dashboards to monitor compliance across a range of performance targets and at the time of our inspection their efficacy could not yet be demonstrated. Improvements were needed in ensuring continuity of treatment for prison leavers. This was a breach of Regulation 17 Good governance.

We have asked the provider to submit an action plan.

Updated 28 November 2025

Change Grow Live – Barnet is part of the larger Change Grow Live provider who deliver a not-for-profit drug and alcohol treatment service nationally. The service provides specialist community treatment and support for adults and young people affected by substance misuse who live in Barnet.

They offer a range of services including initial advice; assessment and harm reduction services including needle exchange; prescribed medicines for alcohol and opiate detoxification and stabilisation; naloxone dispensing; group recovery programmes; one-to-one key working sessions and doctor and nurse clinics which include health checks, blood borne virus and hepatitis C testing.

The service works in partnership across Barnet with other agencies, including NHS services, social services, probation services, GPs and pharmacies.

The service is registered for the following regulated activity: Treatment of disease, disorder or injury. There was a registered manager at the service. The service had moved premises since we last inspected in December 2021.

Improvements had been made to ensure that people received safe care and treatment. Staff completed life support training and regular prescribing reviews took place and were monitored. Governance procedures had also been strengthened and the risks associated with delivering the service were identified with appropriate mitigations put in place. In addition, safeguarding responsibilities were understood, medicines were managed safely, and prescribing decisions showed multidisciplinary input. People were treated with kindness and respect, and care planning reflected individual needs and preferences. Recovery-focused activities helped reduce isolation and promote healthier lifestyles. Information was clear and accessible, and feedback was gathered through multiple routes with actions taken in response. Leaders described a clear vision and values, and staff recognised these in practice.

Staff adapted communication for language and literacy needs and considered cultural factors. People were supported to make informed choices through flexible appointments and practical help, such as assistance with GP visits. Recovery plans were person‑centred and regularly updated, reflecting individual goals like reconnecting with family or accessing housing support

However, further improvements were needed. Some staff held high caseloads as measures to address this had not yet impacted. There was some fluctuations in timely triage and whilst measures to address this had also been implemented their efficacy could not yet be established. Some physical health checks had not been completed. Some specialist assessment tools to support treatment had also not been completed. Clearly documented exit plans were not always available, which could result in delays to timely action if keyworkers were not available. This was a breach of Regulation 12 Safe care and treatment.

We also found that further strengthening and embedding of governance systems was needed. Some environmental checks had not been carried out. There were low supervision rates for volunteers. Some incident records did not have completion dates or checks that actions had been completed. Monitoring of outcomes was in place, but compliance with key indicators such as risk reviews and Treatment Outcomes Profile returns was below target, and whilst improvement actions were recently introduced, the impact of these could not yet be demonstrated. The provider had recently introduced dashboards to monitor compliance across a range of performance targets and at the time of our inspection their efficacy could not yet be demonstrated. Improvements were needed in ensuring continuity of treatment for prison leavers. This was a breach of Regulation 17 Good governance.

We have asked the provider to submit an action plan.