Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member:  Adult Services

Forward Plan Ref: 2009/155

Contact:  Steve Thomas, Performance Information Manager, (01865 323609)

Report by:  Director for Social & Community Services

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of all health and adult social care in England. Within its remit it provides an annual performance assessment of all councils with adult social care responsibilities in England. The 2008/9 report for Oxfordshire is attached as annex 1. Oxfordshire is rated as performing well.

The report is structured around seven key outcomes, which are used to evaluate how well the council currently serves people, and 2 further criteria which are used to describe the future prospects for the council. The council was described as performing well on 6 of the outcomes, and on one it is described as performing adequately. The area described as adequate is ‘maintaining personal dignity and respect’. This was based, in a large part, on the CQC inspection of adult social care in June 2009 which was reported to Cabinet in October. The covering letter, provided with the inspection report, from CQC noted ‘The report acknowledges an improving picture of performance in safeguarding adults in Oxfordshire, with some areas of positive performance and a clear commitment to further raising of standards.’

Within the report the Commission identify key strengths and areas for development. For each area of development an action plan has been agreed with the Commission and will be monitored via the routine business meetings the council has with them.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to

(a)               receive the report;

(b)              review progress on the areas for development through the quarterly monitoring of the directorate balanced scorecard.

Cabinet considered the 2008/9 report for Oxfordshire from The Care Quality Commission (CQC) providing an annual performance assessment of adult social care.

Councillor Hannaby, speaking as Shadow Cabinet Member for Adult Services added her thanks to those expressed earlier in the meeting to the Home Care Support Team, particularly those in her area, for their efforts to continue to provide a service during the recent snow. She felt that there was some disappointment with the report’s assessment in certain areas and highlighted concerns over safeguarding. She noted that work was being undertaken on late discharges and hoped that progress could be maintained. She welcomed the strong working with partners and appreciated the work that was being done, feeling that there was the ability to improve further. Responding to questions she commented that she had no problems with the way things were progressing but that finance was always an issue.

The Cabinet Member for Adult Services agreed that there had been disappointment at the assessment of safeguarding. It had already moved up the agenda and he had felt that enough had been put in place to merit an assessment of performing well. The Director for Social & Community Services added that if they continued doing what they were doing then performing well should be achieved. On the personal budgets he felt that this report and the earlier CAA report had not been as positive as it could be. Key milestones had been agreed. The target of 10% would be reached by March 2010.                       

RESOLVED:             to:

(a)       receive the report;  and

(b)       review progress on the areas for development through the quarterly monitoring of the Directorate balanced scorecard.