CQC streamlines test of council adult care performance

Councils will be judged on fewer adult social care outcomes this year than previously under Care Quality Commission plans to streamline the annual assessment process.

Local authority adult care departments in England will be judged on three outcomes in the 2010-11 performance assessment, down from seven. They will be tested on how well they improve service users’ health and well-being, increase their choice and control over their care and maintain their personal dignity.

Outcomes measuring service users’ economic well-being, quality of life, freedom from discrimination and ability to make a positive contribution have been ditched.

The CQC said: “We have streamlined our approach to focus on the three outcomes that cover particularly important issues in adult social care. This represents a significant change in approach to the assessment for 2009/10, which was based on seven outcome areas.”

The regulator will focus on councils’ performance against the government’s Putting People First programme to personalise care, in safeguarding adults and in delivering value for money in its assessments of the three outcomes. Further guidance will be published later in the autumn.

The CQC also said it would implement a revised methodology for inspecting councils from next spring, which will focus on adult safeguarding.

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