Headlines: June 11th, 2008

The Commission for Social Care Inspection wants to hear the views of care providers on proposed changes to the system for measuring local councils’ performance. Changes to the way local authorities are assessed on their provision of care for adults will be made in the current financial year.

The CSCI is asking directors of adult social care services, other providers of care services and those working in the field of social care performance assessment to submit their views before August 8th.

John Fraser, CSCI’s Director of Quality, Performance and Methods, said, “Councils’ commissioning and delivery of adult social care are vital to local people who use these services, and their families and carers. It is our job as the regulator to reflect policy changes and ensure that what we assess is contemporary and relevant.”

The Commission is planning modifications which will change the emphasis in four key areas in line with Government expectations. The proposals would mean more power being given to individuals to control and commission their own services and more power for councils to decide priorities to meet local needs with less control and direction from Whitehall . Other changes would see the potential for a universal entitlement to advice and information as well as to support and care services, with improved access to services in the community and the effective delivery of social care and health services together for people who require both, especially those with complex needs.

For councils the modifications would mean changes to the assessment grade descriptors under the outcomes so that they are in line with government policy and changes to the self-assessment survey to make it easier for councils to submit information about their residents.