Adult services would be assessed against seven outcomes mooted in white paper

Councils’ adult services would be assessed next year against the seven outcomes in the health and social care white paper, under plans announced today by David Behan, chief inspector of the Commission for Social Care Inspection.

Under the proposed revisions to the current performance assessment system produced by the Commission for Social Care Inspection, the outcomes would replace existing national standards as the yardstick against which councils were measured.

The outcomes are improving health, quality of life, choice, freedom from discrimination, economic well-being and dignity, and helping people make a positive contribution. CSCI would also rate councils’ commissioning and leadership qualities.

CSCI’s judgments on councils would also be weighted by client group for the first time: 40 per cent for older people and 15 per cent each for learning difficulties, mental health and substance misuse, physical and sensory disabilities, and carers.

The plans would also replace the existing four-category star ratings system with five categories, from zero to four stars.

However, they do not include changes to performance indicators, which will be changed to reflect the white paper by 2009.

CSCI Chief Inspector David Behan said: “People tell us that they want high-quality support which meets their needs and aspirations for more independence and ever-greater control over their own lives.

“Councils need to demonstrate that they are improving outcomes for individuals and local communities.

“We need to put an even sharper focus on independence, choice, control and outcomes than we do already, and that is why we are reshaping our performance assessment framework.”