Scrap single word ratings for council adult social care services too, leaders say

Council leaders are calling for single word ratings to be scrapped in Care Quality Commission (CQC) assessments of councils’ adult social care services, following the decision to end single word ratings in Ofsted inspections.

The LGA, which represents 350 councils across England, said CQC’s existing assessment reports, which provide helpful narrative summaries and more detailed analysis by different themes, is sufficient and provide a useful and balanced picture of the quality of services.

This call comes in light of the recent decision to end single word ratings in Ofsted inspections, including for children’s social care teams and settings with immediate effect. The LGA believes this judgement is relevant and should extend to CQC’s assessment of councils’ adult social care services.

Adult social care has faced over a decade of underfunding and unmet and under-met need has grown as a consequence. Councils believe single word ratings do not do justice to the complex and difficult state that adult social care is in.

The LGA said government needs to provide immediate investment to end this crisis, address unmet and under-met need and urgently agree a long-term funding and reform plan to allow all people to access the care and support services they need to live an equal life.

They say adult social care has faced over a decade of underfunding and unmet and under-met need has grown as a consequence and that councils believe single word ratings do not do justice to the complex and difficult state that adult social care is in.

“Local government fully supports transparency and accountability. But while assessment and regulation are both important and helpful in driving improvements to services, single word or phrase judgements cannot ever adequately capture the complexity of adult social care and the work councils do to meet their legal obligations,” Cllr David Fothergill, Chairman of the LGA’s Community Wellbeing Board said.

“The Government must ensure that the assurance process is, and remains, productive and supportive for councils. Sufficient time must be given to learn the lessons from councils’ experiences as more go through the assessment process.

”Working with people who draw on care and support, councils and care providers, the Government also needs to urgently develop and implement a fully costed, long-term, sustainable plan to fund social care. Investment and reform are critical for bringing about real change and better outcomes for people.”