A state-of-the-nation report by the main social care inspection bodies says most services meet clients’ needs, but there is too much variation in performance, writes Derren Hayes.

'All Our Lives – Social Care in England 2002-03' is based on inspection reports from the outgoing Social Services Inspectorate, Audit Commission joint review team and the National Care Standards Commission – all of which will be replaced by the Commission for Social Care Inspection this week.

The report praises moves to increase support for older people to live at home longer, and the strides social services departments have made in reducing delayed discharge.

But lack of information on entitlements, delays in needs assessments and organising services, a rise in care home closures, and lack of availability of direct payments are all criticised.

The report said councils have made significant improvements in the way they carry out responsibilities for safeguarding children at risk, with 97 per cent of child protection reviews taking place on time – up from 81 per cent in 1999-02. But these are not spread evenly and councils are “a long way from achieving excellence in all their children’s services”.

Although many councils are getting better at consulting mental health service users, this is offset by the limited involvement of service users in care planning and by the needs of their carers being ignored.

The overview report follows the publication of 'Old Virtues, New Virtues', a summary report of joint reviews carried out by the SSI and Audit Commission between 1996 and 2003. It concluded that there is not a strong link between the amount of money spent and service quality, and that user satisfaction has not increased over this period.

All Our Lives  and Old Virtues, New Virtues