CQC rates Walsall Council’s adult social care provision as requires improvement

The Care Quality Commission (CQC), has rated Walsall Council as requires improvement, in how well they are meeting their responsibilities to ensure people have access to adult social care and support under the Care Act (2014).

CQC has a new duty under the Act to assess how local authorities work with their communities and partners to meet their responsibilities. This includes promoting the wellbeing and independence of working age disabled adults, older people, and their unpaid carers to reduce their need for formal support where appropriate. Where support is needed it should provide people with choice and control of how their care needs are met.

CQC looked at nine areas spread across four themes to assess how well the authority is meeting their responsibilities in order to create their requires improvement rating. CQC has given each of these nine areas a score out of four with one being the evidence shows significant shortfalls, and four showing an exceptional standard.

1.    assessing people’s needs: 2

2.    supporting people to lead healthier lives: 2

3.    equity in experience and outcomes: 2

4.    care provision, integration and continuity of care: 2

5.    partnership and communities: 3

6.    safe pathways, systems and transitions: 2

7.    safeguarding: 2

8.    governance, management and sustainability: 2

9.    learning, improvement and innovation: 2

Chris Badger, CQC’s chief inspector of adult social care and integrated care, said:

“While leaders at Walsall Council had a clear vision for adult social care provision and strategies in place, they needed to ensure that this was put into practice across all areas to deliver the best possible care and outcomes for people who needed support, and improve how some people accessed advice and information.

“People we spoke to told us they appreciated the support the local authority provided and valued the services available in their communities including health, housing, and the community and voluntary sector. They said this support helped them live independently at home for as long as possible and empowered them to achieve their goals and live the lives they wanted.

“We also heard from people who said staff completed care assessments and reviews in a timely manner, and considered their individual needs, preferences and ambitions throughout the process. However, some people experienced inconsistencies around seeking consent to share information, considering support for family members, and communication on direct payments.

“Although unpaid carers gave positive feedback on the support and advice provided by the dedicated carers service, it was disappointing that they weren’t always aware of all the support available to them and had to find this out through friends and family. They found it hard to access assessments, direct payments and respite services.

“Despite senior leaders’ commitment to providing assessments that focused on prevention, this didn’t always happen in practice. Inspectors heard about examples where assessments looked at specific tasks and areas rather than the person’s overall support needs.

“We have told Walsall Council where improvements are needed, and it was encouraging to hear about the plans they already have in place to help achieve this. We look forward to seeing how these develop to support people accessing adult social care services.”

The assessment team found: 

1. The local authority needed to improve how it shared information and advice on the community-based services available. Some people had difficulties contacting the local authority by phone since moving to a community-based model.  
2. Staff and leaders needed to reach out more effectively to different communities to understand their specific needs and tailor services accordingly. Some services needed to focus their care when supporting autistic people and people with learning disabilities or mental health needs. There also wasn’t enough support for people with early onset dementia, more complex needs or those needing specialist respite options. 
3. The number of people admitted to hospital following a fall has increased since 2019-20, with 20% of new care home admissions in 2023-2024 triggered by a fall. Senior leaders recognised the importance of falls prevention and had identified funds to improve this work. 
4. Senior leaders reported delays in financial assessments and occupational therapy assessments, but these were improving with specific resources in place to address them.

However: 

1. People felt in control of the support they received, and effective short-term support had resulted in people needing less support going forward. Staff also worked well with health partners to achieve good outcomes for people through reablement and rehabilitation services. 
2. Leaders were committed to improving people’s experiences by making informed decisions based on data and evidence. They had processes in place to understand the services being delivered and where improvements needed to be made. 
3. While leaders needed to do more to collaborate on service design with their local communities, they consulted people with lived experience and included them in decision-making processes. 
4. Staff ensured people received care that was effective and based on their current needs. 93.06% of people in Walsall receiving long-term support had received a review of their care and support needs in the last year, which was significantly higher than the England average of 58.77%.