Adult social care rated 'requires improvement'

A council's adult social care services "requires improvement", according to the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

The health and social care regulator assessed Lincolnshire County Council and found some people were not always able to access the right support due to lack of transport services and young people had mixed experiences of transitioning to adult services.

It also found the authority did not always ensure people had quick access to equipment and minor home adaptions.

Councillor Steve Clegg, the council's executive councillor for adult care and health, said: "We have leaders who understand where improvement is needed and are successfully implementing plans to make it happen."

Mary Cridge, CQC's director of adult social care, said, while the assessment "found solid foundations in place", there were some areas where the council needed to "do more to ensure everyone could get the support they needed".

She said some people found accessing adult social care "difficult", with unscheduled reviews of their care going through customer service before being referred to the assessment team.

Cridge cited how autistic people, people with learning disabilities and people with mental health needs sometimes had to use residential care "because alternative, less restrictive options were limited".

However, she said leaders "recognised the unique needs of Lincolnshire" and "know where improvements are needed".

CQC looked at nine areas spread across four themes, including providing support and leadership, with a score out of four given - with one representing significant shortfalls and four showing an exceptional standard.

Scores ranged from two for providing support, which means evidence shows some shortfalls, to three for learning, improvement and innovation, which means evidence shows a good standard.

Clegg said the report "underlines that change was needed and validates our decision to take immediate action".

"We're also committed to giving those who draw on our services a much greater say in how they are delivered, to help us better meet their needs so they can have the lives they want," he added.

Martin Samuels, the council's executive director for adult care and community wellbeing, said: "The report highlights the impact of the action we have already taken and the strength of the steps we have in hand.

"Our focus is on maintaining that momentum and continuing to strengthen the quality, consistency and impact of our services."

He said there were "unique challenges associated with delivering services in a large, rural county with an ageing population".

The council's adult social care provision was previously looked into by the CQC in 2023 during a pilot assessment.

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