The provision of adult social care in County Durham has been rated as ‘good’ following a recent assessment by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
The report praises staff at Durham County Council for how well they meet their responsibilities to ensure people have access to adult social care and support.
As part of the process, the CQC assessed the authority in nine different areas across four themes including leadership, support, safety and its work with people.
The assessment team found that over 85 per cent of CQC regulated provision in the county was rated as ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ and that 95 per cent of equipment aimed at supporting people’s independence, such as bathing aids, were delivered on time, sometimes on the same day.
The authority was praised for the way it supported people to lead healthier lives, with the report highlighting its work with community groups to deliver services locally as well as council commissioned preventative services, such as peer support groups and carer breaks.
It also noted that the Social Care Direct service “was able to effectively direct people to a range of preventative services in the community.”
The council was also praised for retaining phone lines and customer services points to facilitate access for residents and that information was also regularly provided in languages other than English.
Staff felt that leaders were “visible, capable and compassionate” with the report commenting on a “positive culture of continuous learning and improvement in the local authority”.
All areas of leadership and support were rated as being of a good standard. This includes how well the council works with its partners and communities to deliver services to its residents.
While the majority of areas were rated as being of a good standard, inspectors did find some room for improvements in certain areas.
Inspectors found that the council was aware that people faced challenges in accessing and experiencing services based on their large geography and areas of deprivation.
Although the report states that there is a “need of the local authority to recognise the changing demographic of people accessing services”, it noted training was available around equality, diversity and inclusion.
The assessment team found some challenges in sourcing flexible respite services and some delays in mental health provision.
However, it was noted that commissioners were working alongside the NHS trust to find placements for people and that partners worked positively together.
Cllr Chris Hood, Durham County Council’s cabinet member for adult and health services, said: “We are pleased with the outcome of the CQC assessment.
“The ‘good’ rating reflects the hard work of all our staff and the efforts they go to in order to provide the best possible care for our residents.
“The report also recognises the work that is ongoing to rise to staffing challenges, for example through the creation of the Care Academy, as well as our close links with our partner organisations to make it easier for people to access the care they need.
“We do understand that there are some areas for improvements which the team will continue to work on.
“We would like to reassure residents that we are doing all we can to address these areas and that we are always striving to offer the best care and support to our communities.”
