Care services looking after themselves...

OLDHAM is among the top-ranked councils featured in a national online map highlighting care services.

The Department of Health map shows the public how effective care services are at helping residents to live independently, and giving them choice and control.

Oldham is among six local authorities with the highest rates (90 per cent) of people with learning disabilities living in stable and appropriate accommodation. Tameside and Salford also feature in the top six.

Satisfaction
The Adult Social Care Outcome map is available from the Health & Social Care Information Centre website at ascof.hscic.gov. uk.

Users can type in their postcode and find out how well their council is performing. It has details including public satisfaction with care services, the number of permanent admissions to care homes and delayed transfers of care from hospitals. Care and Support Minister Norman Lamb said: “We want everyone to get better care and I hope this website will help to drive improvement across all local authorities so that this is a reality.”

Information includes details on the proportion of adults with a learning disability who live in their own home or with their family.

Oldham Councillor Barbara Brownridge, Cabinet member for social care and public health, said: “We are delighted by this news. Helping vulnerable adults to live independently and providing stable accommodation is incredibly important.

“We take great pride in our work, so it’s fantastic that Oldham’s high standard of care and support has been recognised.

“Despite unprecedented financial cuts, we are meeting these challenges head on thanks to the exceptional people who care for others every day in our borough.”