Shropshire Council praised for its Strong Community Support and Effective Governance.
Celebrations at Abbots Wood Day Centre, Shrewsbury
Shropshire Council is delighted to announce that its Adult Social Care services have been rated ‘Good’ following an assessment by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
In the report published today Friday 28 February, the CQC concluded that ‘evidence shows a good standard’ for the council’s adult social care service, highlighting several areas where Shropshire Council is excelling in serving its community.
The CQC report highlighted many areas of good practice and rated the service good in:
- Care provision, integration and continuity
- Partnerships and communities
- Governance, management and sustainability
- Learning improvement and innovation.
The purpose of the CQC assessments is to understand the performance of Local Authorities and to assure CQC and the Department of Health and Social Care about the quality of care in an area and consider whether any improvements may be required.
The council was pleased to hear from inspectors who said that many people across the county reported ‘positive experiences’ with Shropshire’s adult social care services, noting ‘improvements in their independence’ due to the care and support they received. Inspectors also heard positive feedback from unpaid carers and staff and described staff as ‘committed and passionate.’
Key strengths
The CQC report identified many strengths within adult social care services, saying:
- The local authority had a good understanding of the diverse needs and make up the local population.
- There was a clear focus on promoting independence, and work to prevent, delay or reduce the need for care and support.
- The local authority has clear and effective governance, management, and accountability arrangements. This provided oversight of the delivery of their Care Act duties.
- The council has strong relationships with housing, health, public health, and community partners. Inspectors recognised the collaboration in aligning priorities, integrating care systems, and improving care quality and accessibility, ensuring that people can live independently and receive the necessary support within their local communities.
Councillor Lezley Picton, Leader of Shropshire Council, said:
We are extremely pleased with the findings of the recent CQC assessment report, which highlights the strengths and dedication of our teams in delivering essential services to the residents of Shropshire.
Achieving a ‘Good’ rating is an excellent outcome for Shropshire Council. Although the assessment is centred on our adult social care service, it represents a broader council effort and highlights the dedication and hard work of our teams in adult social care, public health, housing, as well as our partners. I extend my sincere gratitude to all involved.
This assessment demonstrates our commitment to supporting independence, improving care quality, and fostering strong community partnerships to help improve the lives of the people in our community.
Councillor Cecilia Motley, Cabinet Member for adult social care and public health, added:
We are absolutely delighted that we’ve been given a ‘Good’ rating and very encouraged by the positive comments in the CQC report and the areas where our hard work and innovation has been recognised.
Shropshire Council remains committed to improving adult social care services, acknowledging that many people in Shropshire depend on this support. We deeply appreciate and thank our staff who have worked diligently over the past year to assist with the CQC assessment during a challenging period for the council.
Additionally, we acknowledge the contributions of our housing, health, and voluntary and community partners in helping us deliver vital services that allow people to thrive.
We accept there are some improvements to make, which we had already identified in our improvement plans and we are firmly committed to do this as quickly as possible as we strive to become an outstanding service. We will also continue to listen to the views of people who access social care, their families, and care providers to inform our work and provide the best service possible.
Tanya Miles Executive Director for People at Shropshire Council added:
We are extremely pleased with the outcome of our CQC report. It gives us reassurance that we are performing well in the areas providing vital services for our most vulnerable residents.
The report clearly highlights our strengths and acknowledges the hard work of our staff and the work we do to safeguard and improve the outcomes for people in Shropshire.
Shropshire Council’s adult social care services support more than 4800 adults at any given time to help lead healthy and fulfilling lives, by ensuring they receive the right support in the right place at the right time.
Our services are driven by the needs and preferences of the people who use them, enabling them to have choice and control over their care and support.
The CQC recognised this personalised approach to adult social care as a strength, as well as our emphasis on preventative work to avoid or reduce people’s need for more support, helping them to live independently.
I would also like to add that our staff have made us proud. This has been a fantastic opportunity for us to shine and to showcase the incredible work of our adult social care teams and the positive difference they make to the lives of so many people in our county.
As a council we have very much welcomed this inspection. It has provided us with an opportunity to demonstrate our practice and also to receive feedback and be challenged.
Shropshire Council is working to address any areas requiring improvement. The local authority had already identified these and have improvement plans in place which had been shared with the CQC.
We will continue to listen and work with our residents and partners and remain committed to addressing the areas identified and will strive to deliver the best possible services to enable people to live their best lives.
You can read the CQC assessment here.
