Thumbs up for borough’s adult care

OLDHAM’S adult social services team is performing well and improving every year, according to a new report.

A report by the Care Quality Commission – the independent regulator of health and adult social care services in England – rated the council excellent at improving health and emotional well-being, increasing choice and control and economic wellbeing.

The document sets out how well adult social care services were arranged and delivered during the year ending March, 2010.

Overall, the council is graded as performing well for the delivery of outcomes which means it is: “a service that consistently delivers above minimum requirements for people, is cost-effective and makes contributions to wider outcomes for the community.”

The CQC also rated the council as performing well in the four other areas it assessed.

These are improved quality of life, making a positive contribution, freedom from discrimination or harassment and maintaining personal dignity and respect.

The report states: “Oldham Council has continued to modernise and transform adult social care within the borough and to build upon the capacity of individuals and their communities so that they can manage their own lives.

“The council demonstrates a sound knowledge of the local social care market and also the capacity to engage local providers in the transformation agenda.”

Councillor Jackie Stanton, Cabinet Member for Adult Services and Health, said: “The provision of adult social services is a crucial responsibility that Oldham Council undertakes within the local community.

“We are very pleased with the findings of this report which confirms that year-on-year improvements are continuing within the service, and I would like to congratulate staff for all their hard work.

“With three key aspects of our services rated ‘excellent’, and the other four as performing well, we are clearly continuing to push our services to the next level.

“We are also especially proud to be recognised again as excelling in giving people clear choices, with individualised budgets, about how and where they receive support.

“It is equally important to note that the report confirms that our services are safe and that our leadership continues to modernise and transform adult social care to deliver efficient services that are delivered effectively within the available resources.”