Agenda item

The Corporate Director of Adult Social Care and Health will present the quarterly update of the CQC Improvement Plan.

The Corporate Director of Adult Social Care and Health presented the latest quarterly update on progress against the Care Quality Commission (CQC) Improvement Plan.

Members were reminded that the CQC report was published in February 2025. The Improvement Plan was monitored through the Improvement Programme Board and the Adult Social Care and Health Scrutiny Panel. It was also noted that progress updates had been submitted to the Department of Health and Social Care, which had resulted in de‑escalation from formal monitoring arrangements.

Members noted that the CQC report had identified several critical areas requiring focused improvement, including the need to:

•          establish a clear vision and strategic direction for the Directorate;

•          improve support for unpaid carers;

•          develop a robust workforce strategy with a strong focus on equality, diversity and inclusion;

•          address digital exclusion to ensure residents were able to access services effectively;

•          strengthen the promotion and visibility of services within the community;

•          embed co‑production so that people who use services had a meaningful role in shaping services; and

•          undertake a deep‑dive review of the ACT model to address homelessness and associated vulnerabilities.

It was reported that these priority areas formed the basis of the Directorate’s improvement programme and had been translated into formal projects, supported by clear governance arrangements and delivery plans to enable sustainable change.

The following key focus areas were discussed:

Vision and Strategy
Members were informed that the Adult Social Care Vision and Health Strategy 2025–2035 had been approved and published.

Unpaid Carers
It was noted that the ‘Mobilise’ project continued to identify and support hidden carers. Members were advised that the Directors of Adult Social Care from Middlesbrough and Redcar and Cleveland were to co‑chair a carers’ forum.

Workforce Strategy
Members were advised that the Workforce Strategy had been approved. It was reported that the Care Academy would launch on 1 May and that over 100 applications had been received for apprentice social worker roles.

A Member requested further information on the apprentice social worker role and asked whether the number of recruits could be increased in light of the high level of interest. In response, it was explained that a small number of places were usually advertised each year, typically internally. Members were advised that the CQC had highlighted that the workforce did not fully reflect the local population, and as a result vacancies had been advertised externally. It was hoped that numbers could be increased as part of a future growth bid. The Director also acknowledged the ageing workforce (over 55+) and advised that succession planning was under consideration.

Tackling Digital Inclusion
Members were advised that the digital inclusion project had seen early success, with 24/25 digital champions appointed and approximately 199 individuals supported. The Director advised that this was a growing area of work and a source of pride for the Directorate. It was agreed that a dedicated presentation would be scheduled for the Panel during the 2026/27 municipal year.

Promotion of Services
Members were informed that activity to promote services included the establishment of a working group, celebration of Social Work Week, and ongoing redesign of the Council’s website.

Co‑production
Members were advised that Healthwatch had been appointed as the co‑production delivery partner, with a lead officer due to be appointed in mid‑December.

Homelessness
The Panel was advised that a Head of Housing Solutions, Prevention and Support had been recruited. It was also reported that there were plans for the Homelessness Team to relocate from Middlesbrough House to Broadcasting House, which would operate as a homelessness advice hub providing accessible support.

A Member queried progress on homelessness, noting the current rough sleeper camp and seeking clarity on how the issue was being addressed. In response, it was explained that providing accommodation alone did not always resolve homelessness, as some individuals were unable or unwilling to sustain housing due to factors such as mental health or substance misuse. The importance of relationship building and trust was emphasised, and it was noted that the Council was working in partnership with voluntary sector organisation Depaul, which would establish an outreach team to engage with rough sleepers, work with individuals at their own pace, and address the underlying causes of homelessness. Members also noted that visible rough sleeping represented only a proportion of homelessness, with others affected in less visible circumstances such as sofa surfing.

Performance Framework
Members were advised that a new performance framework had been developed for 2026/27. It was agreed that details of the framework would be presented to a future meeting of the Adult Social Care and Health Scrutiny Panel.

Magic Notes
Members were advised that Magic Notes transcription had been implemented, enabling social workers to undertake more meaningful conversations with people they supported and to improve the quality and accuracy of case recording.

Conversational Approach to Wellbeing and Care Planning
It was noted that this change in practice and culture was being led by the Principal Social Worker and was being rolled out across the Directorate.

Growth
Members were updated on the following areas of investment:

•          appointment of a Service Director for Adult Social Care;

•          growth within the review team, audit and practice functions, and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) signatory capacity; and

•          an ongoing review of the front‑door model.

The following next steps within the improvement programme were noted:

•          continued identification of improvement opportunities;

•          investment in continuous improvement, including post‑recruitment review of reablement;

•          establishment of a cross‑functional group to explore artificial intelligence and automation opportunities;

•          development of a Cost Avoidance Impact Model and framework to evidence cost avoidance linked to budget requirements and person‑centred outcomes; and

•          strengthened collaboration with ICT and the Corporate Centre through regular engagement aligned with wider digital strategies.

A Member expressed interest in how artificial intelligence could be embedded within the Directorate, and it was agreed that a presentation would be scheduled for the Adult Social Care and Health Scrutiny Panel during the 2026/27 municipal year.

Members thanked the Director for the presentation and for the honest assessment of service development.

AGREED that:

•          the information provided by the Corporate Director of Adult Social Care and Health be noted; and

•          the following items be added to the Adult Social Care and Health Scrutiny Panel work programme for the 2026/27 municipal year:

-          Performance Framework

-          Digital Inclusion

-          Artificial Intelligence