Social services excels in three key areas

Veronica Jackson

Oldham Council’s adult social services team was celebrating today after gaining an “excellent” rating in a new independent report.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) — the independent regulator of health and adult social care services in England — published its first annual report into the performance of local authorities today.

The document sets out how well local councils arranged adult social care and delivered services for the people who use them.

The CQC took over this responsibility from the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) last year, and this is the first time it has published its own judgements about councils’ performance.

The regulator reassessed all councils against priorities which focus on improving the outcomes people experience from health and social care.

The CQC’s 2009 Annual Performance Assessment Gradings show that Oldham Council’s services were rated excellent against three key outcomes — improving health and well-being, increasing choice and control, and achieving economic well-being.

The authority was also ranked as performing well in the four other areas: improved quality of life, making a positive contribution, freedom from discrimination and harassment, and maintaining dignity and respect.

Overall, Oldham Council was classified as “delivering outcomes well”. The local authority’s services were previously awarded a three-star rating – performing well — in 2008 by the CSCI.

Today’s report confirms that year-on-year improvements are continuing since the former Oldham Social Services was handed a no-star rating in 2003.

Councillor Brian Lord, cabinet member for adult services and health, said: “We’re absolutely delighted with the findings of this report which shows that three key aspects of our services are rated excellent, and the other four as performing well. Equally important to us is that our services are safe and our leadership and commissioning standards are excellent.”

Veronica Jackson, executive director for people, communities and society, said: “The Adult Social Services team are delighted by this report and I’d like to thank all our staff for their contributions to these achievements.

“The team have worked tirelessly to offer personalised advice and information, support to help people live independently, and offering individual budgets and local services to meet people’s needs.

“We’re also particularly pleased to be recognised as one of only 26 councils nationally who have excelled in giving people clear choices about how and where they receive support. We won’t be resting on our laurels, however, and are aiming to do even better in next year’s assessment.”