Agenda item

Report of the Director of Adults

The Board received a Briefing Note, together with a comprehensive presentation at the meeting, from the Director of Adults Services and Housing which outlined the CQC Assessment of Adult Social Care.

The Health and Care 2022 introduced a new legal duty for the CQC to review and assess the performance of local authorities in discharging their ‘regulated care functions’ under Part One of the Care Act 2014, specifically:

·  pursuit of wellbeing

·  preventing the need for care and support

·  promoting integration of care and support with health services

·  providing information and advice; promoting diversity and quality in provision of services (an efficient/effective market)

·  meeting the duty of co-operation

·  meeting needs; safeguarding adults

·  effective transition from children’s services

·  ensuring continuity of care and support

·  managing provider failure

·  providing independent advocacy support

The Care Act also links across to the Mental Health Act and the Mental Capacity Act meaning that CQC will also assess ASC’s performance in these areas. 

New powers for the Health and Social Care Secretary are in place to intervene where it is considered a local authority is failing to meet its duties.

The new single assessment framework focuses on the four key themes of:

Working with people: How Local Authorities work with people (this includes: assessing needs, care planning and review, direct payments, charging, supporting people to live healthier lives, prevention, wellbeing, information and advice)

Providing Support: How local authorities provide support (this includes: market shaping, commissioning, workforce capacity and capability, integration and partnership working)

Ensuring Safety. How local authorities ensure safety in the system (this includes: safeguarding enquiries, reviews, Safeguarding Adults Board, safe systems, pathways and continuity of care)

Leadership. Leadership capabilities within Local authorities (This includes: culture, strategic planning, learning, improvement, innovation, governance, management and sustainability)

In assessing Local Authorities performance against each of these themes CQC will focus on four key domains including: people’s experience, feedback from staff and leaders, feedback from partners, processes and outcomes. 

CQC have undertaken five local authority pilot assessments to refine their assurance process and prior to rolling out the assessment process later in 2023.  The pilot assessments are taking the form of off site information analysis, including care files, and on site interviews.

The Government have asked CQC to publish individual ratings of LA’s following the pilots and assessments.  These ratings will use either: Inadequate, Requires Improvement, Good or Outstanding.

To prepare for CQC Assurance, Adult Social Care are:

1.  Completing a self assessment of the ‘as is’ picture of the current level of assurance in relation to Part One of the 2014 Care Act. This assists in not only understanding self-identified areas of strength but also areas for improvement.

2.  Working with the Association of Directors Adult Social Services (ADASS) within the Midlands region and undertaken a one-day readiness review, with a further two day readiness review planned in October 2023. This has added to our insight and provided external scrutiny to the assurance process.

3.  Attending the series of webinars that ADASS have arranged to support local authorities with their assurance readiness.

4.  Learning from the pilot phase that CQC is undertaking with five other Local Authority areas to understand better the assurance process.

5.  Undertaking briefings and communication and engagement work with Adult Social Care staff and somepartner agencies.

The Board asked questions, made comments and sought assurances on a number of issues, including:-

·  The role of the Board in this process, including providing system leadership

·  How the assessment can help to improve services

·  Issues associated with “One word” assessments

·  How support will be given to and received from other Local Authorities

·  The anticipated key benefits of the assessment

·  How the dedicated and committed workforce in Adults Services will be key to the assessment

·  The high regard in which Adults Services is currently held by partners in the City

·  A request to include reference to the excellent work carried out in partnership with the 2 Universities in the City in any future presentations and during the assessment 

RESOLVED that the Board notes the process in respect of the CQC inspection of Adult Services and role of the Health and Wellbeing Board in demonstrating system leadership.