CQC rates Haringey adult social care as 'requires improvement'
The CQC looked at nine areas to assess how well the authority is meeting their responsibilities in order to create their rating. The CQC gave each of these nine areas a score out of four with one being 'the evidence shows significant shortfalls', and four showing 'an exceptional standard'.
Haringey was rated two in seven of the nine areas and rated three in the areas of 'Partnership and communities' and 'Safeguarding'.
Key findings
The CQC's inspection found some positive examples of adult social care in Haringey, including:
- 92% of people supported were still at home after 91 days, which is better than the England average of 83.7%
- The introduction of a more local approach, making it easier for people to access care and support closer to where they live.
- Mental health was recognised as a key priority, with funded activities like the mental health network aimed at preventing people’s mental health becoming poor.
- Haringey’s reablement services supported people’s independence and reduced unnecessary hospital admissions.
But there were shortcomings in some aspects of service provision:
- Older people and people without digital skills find it difficult to access services or information through the local authority’s online platforms.
- Most feedback from unpaid carers was negative. Data showed only 23.29% were satisfied with services in Haringey, compared to the England average of 36.83%.
- Many carers told CQC that the support on offer hadn’t had a positive impact on their lives and their health and wellbeing was declining.
These findings do reflect experiences of users in our view, which are mixed.
We would highlight in particular the need for better communication with those who are not digitally enabled. Many residents in need of care, and their carers, find establishing and then managing a relationship with the social care services on a mobile phone or computer difficult and frustrating. Although there is much good work, too many feel they are not heard. We hope to see change in this area, and that the new neighbourhood approach will enable more one-to-one human contact and greater user satisfaction.
Healthwatch Haringey will continue to work to engage with our local community to be its voice in social care.
Haringey Joint Partnership Board
The council has a Joint Partnership Board (JPB). This includes the three former adult social care partnership boards: learning disabilities, autism and adults. Membership of the JPB is by nomination from one of the Reference Groups. Reference Groups include people with experience of learning disability; older people; mental health; physical disability; dementia; severe and complex learning disability and autism; carers; moving on transitions.
The JPB hears from service clients, carers and other residents and aims to develop and achieve strategic borough priorities. The JPB meets every two months.
The Joint Partnership Board and Reference Groups have previously raised with the council several concerns that were reflected in the CQC report such as difficulty contacting the council over the phone, delays in Care Act Assessments, financial assessments and Occupational Therapy (OT) assessments, lack of accessible information and support for carers.
The council has started an improvement plan including increased locality working, co-production in commissioning, carers' support and an increased emphasis on early intervention and prevention. The JPB will be working with the council to co-produce improvements in services.
Please contact Rachel Sanders, Project Officer, for further information and to get involved.
Rachel.sanders@publicvoice.london
020 3196 1900
