Councillors will receive an update about ongoing work to make sure adults with care needs in County Durham receive the best possible support.
Durham County Council’s adult social care service was rated Good by the Care Quality Commission following an assessment in 2024.
Next week, the local authority’s Cabinet will hear about the improvements the council has made since receiving this rating. A robust plan is also in place to ensure the service can continue to evolve to meet the individual needs of residents who require support.
The experiences of people receiving care, along with their families, carers and advocates, are at the heart of the plan, with the council receiving feedback from a number of channels, including its annual Adult Social Care Survey. This is a key indicator of service user satisfaction and Cabinet will hear how County Durham consistently scores above the regional and national averages.
Cllr Howard Brown, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for adult and health services, said: “Durham is the largest local authority in the region, with a diverse mix of communities, which includes villages, towns, the city and rural areas. This means there is a wide range of health and social care needs to meet.
“Despite these challenges, our adult health and social care service continues to perform strongly. We are responding to growing demand while managing increasing financial pressures.
“It is particularly encouraging that there are currently no waiting lists for care, the service remains financially stable, and assessments and reviews are being completed more quickly. This is thanks to our dedicated workforce, whose commitment to delivering high-quality care and continually improving services is making a real difference.
“While we are proud of this progress, we know there is more to do. By listening to feedback from colleagues, partners, the people who use the services and their families, our adult social care teams will keep learning and improving.
“Our goal is to make sure everyone has the right support to live healthy, fulfilling and independent lives. We want people to stay connected to their communities and have the help they need when they need it.”
Cabinet will be asked to note the contents of the report, including the positive progress and ongoing work to improve services.
The meeting will take place at the Rivergreen Centre in Aykley Heads at 10am on Wednesday 14 October. It will also be streamed lived on the council’s YouTube channel.
