Care services good and improving

Date published: 30/11/2006

Vulnerable and disadvantaged people are mostly served well by Rochdale Council's Adult Care Service, according to Government inspectors.

The service also has promising capacity for improvement, according to the judgement on its 2006 performance by the Commission for Social Care Inspection.

Inspectors awarded the service two stars out of a possible three, based on national performance indicators.

In its report, the Commission says:

'Rochdale Council has continued to demonstrate improved performance across the full range of adult social care services, consolidating the progress made last year.'

The Council is praised for the care it provides and arranges for a wide range of vulnerable and disadvantaged people in the borough, including older people, people with physical disabilities, learning disabilities, and mental health problems, and for their carers.

On its care for older people, the Commission says the Council has increased the availability, choice and quality of home care services and that older people admitted to hospital receive support quickly to enable them to return home.

Referring to people with a physical or sensory disability, the Commission says increasing numbers are receiving support to remain at home and that this support is good. The Council, which was already very good at delivering equipment within 7 days, has got even better in the last year and it's also much quicker at providing major and minor adaptations than similar councils.

On carers, the report says:

'The Council's carer's service has been awarded beacon status, and a wide range of innovative solutions for both engaging and supporting carers is available.'

It also points out that the number of carers' breaks provided by the Council has been significantly increased and it offers more than similar councils in the country.

As for people suffering mental ill health, the Commission praises the Council for the number of people it helps to live at home. Learning disability services get the thumbs up for their effort to improve the quality and reduce the cost of the support provided. The report also notes that growing numbers of people are also able to use treatment programmes for drug and alcohol abuse.

Stephen Netherwood, Head of the Council's Adult Care Service, said: "I think this report demonstrates the Council's steadfast commitment to improving care services in the borough and the high quality of work being done by the people providing this care. We have done well, but we are not complacent and will continue to make improvements for the benefit of people in the borough."

The inspectors' report is available on the internet at www.csci.org.uk.