We’re super stars

Three star rating brings smiles all round

OLDHAM Council’s social care service has been declared among the best in the country after going from zero to excellent in just four years.

The Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) has awarded Oldham a “very strong three-star” rating for 2007/08.

It fulfils a remarkable turnaround from no stars in 2004 to the top grade today, via a two star rating for the past two years.

It’s a feat only councils in Wakefield and Coventry have achieved before. There are now 11 authorities in the North-West rated excellent.

It also stands the council in good stead to achieve an all-round excellent rating in the vital Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) in January.

The Inspector concluded the directorate is excellent at delivering outcomes and has excellent prospects for further improvement.

Council chiefs said the assessment was a very rigorous process and hard work. Determination and focusing on what needed to be improved was behind the success.

Complaints have dropped by a third and compliments have soared.

Veronica Jackson, executive director of adult and community services, said: “The directorate has undergone a massive period of change to meet the new demands placed on local authorities in terms of evolving legislation, systems and social care thinking.”

Excellent

She highlighted better communication and good partnership work and pledged to try and improve even further to get every section rated excellent.

Cabinet member Councillor Brian Lord, said: “This continuous improvement and fantastic outcome is testament to the commitment and dedication of staff throughout the directorate, particularly the front line staff physically delivering social care services.

“It is clear evidence that people in Oldham get the help and care they need when they need it most and I am determined that our most vulnerable citizens should continue to get the very best that is on offer anywhere in the UK.”

He said Oldham is already doing things better than beacon authorities and ministers have told councils to go to Oldham to see how things should be done.

Achievements highlighted included being the national lead on the use of individualised budgets to give people more control over the support they receive, the increasing number of people being helped to live at home, provision of telecare services to improve people’s independence and quality of life, development of extra care housing as an alternative to residential care and a clear and ambitious vision.