Ladies looking at a pill dispenser

Excellence in social care and health highlighted by inspectors

A report from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has highlighted areas of excellence that are growing in Staffordshire Social Care and Health.

In its report, CQC heaps praise on how it supports people to make a positive contribution in their communities. It also commends the help given to adults to secure work and claim benefits to which they're entitled.

County Councillor Matthew Ellis, Cabinet Member for Adults and Wellbeing, said: "I'm pleased to see the report has endorsed our vision for the future of social care and health. Our recent launch of Staffordshire Cares reflects our new commitment to make much needed changes for the better. These will ensure access to care and support is more accessible and responsive to people's needs than it is at the moment."

Staffordshire is amongst 148 other councils with responsibility for delivering social care services for adults. The report rates performances based on seven outcomes set by the Government.

Social Care and Health now intends to build on its success, by driving improvements through its three year implementation programme in the shape of Staffordshire Cares. It will bring a genuine transformation of services to Staffordshire, through the modernisation of directly delivered services; the introduction of a more personalised care journey to identify people's needs; and through the commissioning of a range of services to enable the changes needed can better meet the needs of individuals.

Good progress has already been made in relation to the quality of care received. The CQC is concerned that some councils are not always buying care from the best social care providers - something Staffordshire has been keen to address. Commissioning is going to prove crucial to delivering the Staffordshire Cares vision - through the adoption of smarter, more quality-assured procedures.

"Working much more closely with the NHS through integration will also help us enormously. It means we can move towards a more preventative agenda, and focus on reablement for those who need it," said Matthew. "By doing more of this, we will be able to provide more effective care in the longer term, against the backdrop of increasing resource pressures on social care and health."

Page Last Modified: 10/12/2009 16:39:29

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