Council’s Adult Social Care work praised in first CQC evaluation

Westmorland and Furness Council’s Adult Social Care help has been praised for its person-centred strategy, help for carers, holding individuals protected, and for its pro-active prevention work to help well being and wellbeing.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC), in its first evaluation of the brand new council because it was fashioned in 2023, additionally praised Adult Social Care’s robust management, productive partnership working with the NHS and the voluntary sector, and its understanding of what wants to enhance additional.

The CQC evaluation came about in June 2025. The council was rated as “Good” in 4 out of 9 areas assessed, with “evidence of some shortfalls” in 5 areas.

The council acquired the best doable rating inside an total ranking band of “Requires Improvement” – that means the council was only one level out of 100 away from being rated “Good” total.

Chris Badger, CQC’s chief inspector of grownup social care and built-in care, mentioned: “We found an authority which wasn’t far off from providing good access to services in all the areas we looked at. It had strong leaders who were aware of the challenges they faced, and were on an improvement journey to ensure people have more positive experiences of adult social care. Leaders understand what needs to change and have started building the right foundations to deliver better support.”

Cllr Patricia Bell, Westmorland and Furness Council Cabinet member for Adults, Health and Care, welcomed the report, saying: “This is a strong report with a lot to be proud of. It is an accurate representation of where we were when the assessment took place, and our own self-assessment of our strengths and areas to focus on improving.

“After less than three years as a new unitary council it is an achievement to come so close to a ‘Good’ rating overall, and for the CQC to recognise we are well on the way to being good in all areas.

“A huge amount of progress has already been made since CQC visited us nearly eight months ago. For example, we have continued to reduce the number of overdue support plan reviews, and have halved the number of people waiting for a social work or occupational therapy assessment – with nearly all people waiting no longer than 28 days for their assessment to commence.

“On waiting times, I would like to reassure residents that we prioritise and schedule our assessments carefully at first contact, and if anyone is going to be waiting longer than their agreed date they are contacted again to ensure they can safely wait a little longer.

“We are also particularly pleased that our strong partnerships with our NHS and voluntary sector colleagues were recognised, and the success of our hospital discharge partnership work highlighted, with the council providing new intermediate care beds in Barrow, and soon Kendal, and the NHS providing therapeutic support for patients.

“This week we have also heard about the severe financial pressures the council is under. Providing statutory adult social care and support for people with a physical or mental impairment or illness accounts for one third of the council’s proposed £301m budget for the year ahead, and is under ever increasing demand pressure and the impact of an ageing population.

“A key part of our improvement plan is to have the right type of provision to support people to be as independent as possible for as long as possible, leading to better outcomes for people at the same time as helping us better manage demand and costs.

“I would like to thank and congratulate our staff and leadership in Adult Social Care, and the many others across the council who support adults’ care and wellbeing, for their professionalism, compassion and the pride they take in the work they do with our residents every day.”

The CQC report, which may be present in full on the CQC website, recognises an excessive amount of robust, optimistic observe throughout Adult Social Care, together with:

• Person-centred strategy the place individuals really feel listened to, understood, and supported.
• Positive and efficient help for carers, with well timed assessments and good entry to assist, teams and recommendation.
• Strong partnership working with NHS Integrated Care Boards, housing, voluntary sector companions and others.
• Proactive prevention work, together with our well being and wellbeing coaches and community-powered approaches.
• Strong dedication to fairness and inclusion, particularly round rural communities, LGBTQ+ inclusion, and work with asylum seekers, refugees and Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities.
• A secure, enhancing care market, robust homecare capability and a valued Shared Lives service.
• Supportive, seen management and a optimistic studying tradition.
• Effective safeguarding, with assured multi-agency working.

Areas for enchancment recognized embrace growing a stronger council-wide strategy to prevention, ready occasions  for assessments and critiques, technique improvement, specialist provision for individuals with extra advanced wants, hospital discharge processes, rurality challenges together with journey and respite, the framework for assessing and charging adults, and availability of non-public assistants to strengthen our direct fee provide.