'This is a proud moment for Liverpool' as CQC issues new Adult Social Care rating
Liverpool City Council has received a new rating for its Adult Social Care services, with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) praising its “passionate staff” and “strong leaders”.
The new report published today (September 24) highlights that people receiving care and support in Liverpool “felt listened to, their wishes and feelings were respected, and families were actively involved in assessments”, though there were some “gaps in services” for people with mental health needs.
The CQC looked at nine areas spread across four themes to assess how well the authority is meeting their responsibilities outlined in the Care Act (2014) in order to create their good rating. Each area was given a score out of four with one being the evidence shows significant shortfalls, and four showing an exceptional standard.
Liverpool City Council’s Adult Social Services received the following scores:
- Assessing people’s needs - 2
- Supporting people to lead healthier lives - 3
- Equity in experience and outcomes - 3
- Care provision, integration and continuity of care - 2
- Partnership and communities - 2
- Safe pathways, systems and transitions - 2
- Safeguarding - 2
- Governance, management and sustainability - 3
- Learning, improvement and innovation - 3
The assessment team praised the local authority’s website - which was easy to access - as well as its “positive culture of continuous learning and improvement”.
The CQC said that Liverpool City Council “recognised the importance of timely and safe discharge from hospital for people with complex needs” and “worked well with partner organisations to deliver intermediate care and reablement services to support people to be independent”.
Areas for improvement included waiting times for occupational therapy assessments, though the CQC said people could access equipment and minor home adaptations to maintain their independence and continue living in their own homes.
The CQC also noted that “partner organisations felt there were gaps in services for people with mental health needs, as well as care home placements, specifically for people with dementia.”
Discussing the overall ‘good’ judgement, James Bullion, CQC’s chief inspector of adult social care and integrated care, said: “At this assessment, we found Liverpool City Council is delivering good access to adult social care for people living in the area.
“Underpinning this, we saw strong leaders and passionate staff who were committed to listening and responding to people’s needs, which was impressive given the context that this is the third most deprived area in England.
“Staff told us about the positive impact its transformation programme was having on the organisation’s culture and partnership working with external organisations. People living in Liverpool had also seen improvements as they were waiting less time for assessments. Waiting lists for reviews, occupational therapy and Deprivation of Liberty safeguards were also improving.
“The local authority had a clear focus on prevention to reduce people’s needs for formal services, and support them to live at home for as long as possible. For example, a range of support was available to adults with vision and hearing loss, including providing equipment to meet their needs.
“Some unpaid carers told us they felt supported. However, many said there were difficulties accessing respite or short breaks to support their health and well-being. Although assistive technology was being trialled to ease these challenges, only 14.36% of unpaid carers in Liverpool felt that they had control over their daily life, which is worse than the England average of 21.53%.
“Overall, people across Liverpool were satisfied with the support they were receiving from the local authority, and it was positive to hear that they felt listened to and that their wishes and feelings were considered as part of their needs.
“Liverpool City Council should be pleased with the many positive findings in our report and are already building on this with further improvement plans. We look forward to returning to see how they have built on these areas of good practice and how their plans mature.”
Liverpool City Council says a “major contributor” to the positive rating its transformation programme, which prioritises independence, reablement, and a person-centred approach, underpinned by Living Better Lives.
Councillor Angela Coleman, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, said: “This is a proud moment for Liverpool and a reflection of our commitment to putting residents at the heart of everything we do.
“It’s clear that residents and staff feel listened to, respected, and supported. The report highlights the compassion, professionalism, and dedication of our adult social care teams.
“While we’re pleased with the progress made, we recognise there is still more to do. Transformation is a journey, and we remain focused on improving services, listening to residents, and supporting our hardworking staff every step of the way.
“This is also a great time to join us. If you’re passionate about making a difference, please visit the Council’s website and exploring vacancies in Adult Social Care.”