CQC assessment of Adult Social Care published

Projects and services which support the life that matters to residents have been highlighted in the Care Quality Commission’s assessment of Reading Borough Council’s Adult Social Care service. 

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) assessment on how well the Council is meeting its responsibilities to ensure people have access to adult social care and support under the Care Act (2014), is requires improvement. 

This assessment was carried out between July 2024 and December 2024 and the full report can be found here: Local authority assessment reports - Care Quality Commission 

The assessment and report identified areas of innovation and strength which benefit residents. 

They included:

1. A strong commitment to improve with a leadership described as transparent, approachable, and passionate,        alongside visible governance structures and accountability. Staff reported feeling supported and valued within a culture of reflective practice and learning. 
2. Effective Hospital Discharge and Reablement Services with a process that was described as “timely and seamless”, with coordinated support between the Council and the NHS.
3. An innovative use of technology and data to support independence and improve assessments, particularly to support people with dementia and reduce falls. 
4. Strong Partnership Working and Co-Production with extensive collaboration with health, the voluntary sector, and community organisations. Co-production with residents was seen in the development of strategies and service design. 
5. Positive outcomes in equity and inclusion with targeted support for refugees, asylum seekers and people with sensory impairments. It was noted that Reading achieved City of Sanctuary status, and staff are trained in equality, diversity and inclusion, neurodiversity, and autism awareness. 

The Council constantly seeks to improve its Adult Social Care services to ensure residents are safe and supported to be as independent as possible in their own homes.  

The Council’s improvement plan, which was created before the assessment, reflects the recommendations made by CQC.

Since the assessment concluded in December 2024, the improvement plan has already delivered significant progress. This includes people getting a Care Act assessment visit in 31 days whereas previously it was 48 days, and safeguarding enquiries are completed on average 30 days quicker than before the assessment.

The Council has also improved services for unpaid carers in the borough, recognising the crucial role they play in the care system and the impact caring may have on their own wellbeing.

The service has also increased the number of short-term and Occupational Therapy assessments carried out-which will support people to live independently and prevent escalating needs in line with the demands of the service.

Whilst the overall rating aligns with the self-assessment the Council is required to carry out, the Council believes the scores do not reflect the many strengths identified by CQC during their assessment.

The assessment process has been extremely protracted and onerous. The CQC has admitted making errors in the report after being challenged on its accuracy, and the whole process has also taken far longer than expected. With the results of the assessment only now being published many of the findings are no longer representative of the service.

The Council will continue to engage with CQC to address this. 

Cllr Paul Gittings, Lead Councillor for Adult Social Care, said:

“I remain incredibly proud of the care and support delivered by the Council’s Adult Social Care staff.  

“I am pleased to see that the CQC has picked up our commitment to improvement and innovation alongside strong partnerships and co-production with our communities that will ensure we remain responsive and forward-thinking.  

“Our service knows its strengths and areas for development very well and has been consistently delivering improvements for residents of Reading such as the delivery of an All-Age Carers Strategy 2024–2027 and our internationally recognised Technology Enabled Care offer.

“However, we believe the report does not accurately evidence the excellent work we do in Reading or provide an accurate description of improvements which have already been made.

“The people in our Adult Social Care service work extremely hard and take pride in the work in supporting the life that matters to our residents.”

The Council continues to be committed to delivering high quality and timely Adult Social Care services that keep people safe and support choice, independence, and wellbeing.  

The Council is confident in its ability to improve which can already be evidenced in national data provided to the Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework since the 2022/23 financial year. It shows the Council is now fifth in the country for social care-related quality of life, jumping up 46 places. It is also twelfth in the country for providing easy to find information about support compared to the previous position of 104.  

There is information and advice on the Council’s website about Adult Social Care for residents, their families and friends Adult Social Care and Public Health - Reading Borough Council.