News

Welsh councils are struggling to improve social services quickly enough and "significant risks" remain across all service areas, Audit Commission Wales has warned.

The commission's annual report for 2003-4 on the country's 22 departments says councils need to improve the quality and consistency of assessments and care planning, the commissioning of services to meet assessed need and the use of resources. There is still not enough focus on outcomes for service users and carers, while a cross-sector approach to workforce planning is also needed, it adds.


"Many councils [are] struggling to achieve the pace and level of improvement required," the report says.

However, the commission says risk levels have at least reduced slightly across all client groups when compared with the previous year.