CQC publishes report on Kirklees Council adult social care services
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has published a report following its inspection of Kirklees Council’s adult social care services.
The inspection looked at how the council meets its Care Act duties across four key themes: leadership, working with people, providing support and ensuring safety.
The report highlights a wide range of strengths, along with areas for development which the council was already taking steps to address.
The overall outcome is that services require improvement. At the same time, the CQC praised the council for delivering high-quality, person-centred support that makes a real difference to people’s lives.
Dedication of frontline staff, creative approaches to care and effective partnership working were all identified as key strengths.
Inspectors found that people and unpaid carers consistently felt listened to, respected and involved in shaping their support. Staff were described as trusted, supportive and committed to approaches that promote independence and wellbeing.
Innovation and continuous improvement were seen across services, with inspectors noting work which helped people to access technology and a commitment to staff development through training and apprenticeships.
They praised a clear understanding of safeguarding risks and strong work with partners to prevent abuse and neglect. Safeguarding was person-centred, with prompt action on immediate risks and strong co-ordination through the Kirklees Safeguarding Adults Board.
The CQC added that uptake of direct payments – which empower people to make choices about their care – was well above the national average. Inspectors also commended the use of assistive technology, which supports people to live more independently.
Areas for development included waiting times for assessments and reviews, improving transitions from children’s to adult services and ensuring digital access works for everyone.
Cllr Nosheen Dad, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, said:
“While this rating is not what we hoped for, we welcome the CQC’s feedback and are already addressing the areas for improvement. Our plans are in place and we are working swiftly to ensure residents receive the highest standards of care.
“It’s pleasing that the report recognised our strong safeguarding arrangements, with clear understanding of risks and effective partnership working to keep people safe.
“Our priority is for people in our community to receive safe, effective and compassionate care. We will continue to work closely with partner organisations and the CQC to make our services as strong as possible.”
Chris Badger, CQC’s chief inspector of adult social care and integrated care, said:
“During our inspection of Kirklees Council, we found strong partnership working that delivers real benefits to those living in Kirklees. We also heard people felt listened to and valued, with the authority actively seeking feedback from people with lived experience of using services. However, it does have further work to do to ensure people are consistently receiving the support they need.”
The council will continue to monitor progress on these services and report regularly on improvements. The full inspection report is available on the CQC website.