Birmingham City Council's adult social care services have retained their 'good' rating from the Care Quality Commission (CQC), making it one of only five councils in England to achieve this rating twice under the new assessment framework. However, council leaders have acknowledged that there are still areas requiring improvement, with some residents experiencing long waits and delays for services.
Recognition and Challenges
Stuart Lackenby, Executive Director of Adult Social Care and Health, expressed satisfaction with the recognition but emphasised the need for continued progress. 'We know there are areas that still need to improve but we are pleased the CQC has recognised what we are doing well,' he said. 'Sometimes we don't offer people support that meets our own expectations, people can wait too long for our intervention, and we don't get everything right.'
Areas of Strength
Inspectors praised Birmingham's range of services, including dementia support, falls prevention, befriending programmes, and mental wellbeing activities. These initiatives were highlighted as positive examples of effective care provision.
Areas for Development
Despite the overall positive rating, the CQC identified several concerns. Some residents did not always feel safe due to delayed responses and unclear safeguarding referrals. Additionally, difficulties in accessing emergency placements were noted, stemming from shortages in specialist services, which sometimes led to out-of-area placements. Some residents also expressed a desire for more support when transitioning between different services.
Staff Recognition
Councillor Harris Khaliq praised the efforts of staff, describing the achievement as 'a huge credit to the hard-working, incredible staff who made it happen.' He acknowledged that while the rating is a positive step, the council remains committed to addressing the identified issues.
For further details, read the full story: Praise for Birmingham's 'good rated' adult social care services despite delays and high demand.
