Following a recent inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), East Riding of Yorkshire Council has received a rating of inadequate for its adult social care services.
Inspectors visited the East Riding in June to review how the council supports adults in need of care and support. While no evidence was found to suggest that individuals were unsafe, the inspection highlighted significant concerns – particularly around delays in accessing services and the time people wait for assessments and support.
East Riding of Yorkshire Council said:
“We recognise that too many residents are waiting far too long to receive the care they need. This is unacceptable, and we are committed to taking urgent action to improve access and responsiveness across our services.”
“An improvement plan is already in place and will be overseen by an independent improvement partner. We will make sure that representatives from our partners, care providers and people who use services and their families with lived experience are heard from and central to our improvement.”
Alan Menzies, interim chief executive of East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said:
“We take the findings of this inspection extremely seriously. People in the East Riding deserve timely, high-quality care and support, and we have already started making the necessary changes to ensure this happens.”
“While the dedication of our staff is evident and highlighted in this report. We acknowledge as a council we must do better. We are already taking steps to reduce waiting times, strengthen leadership, and improve how we work with individuals to ensure that our care services meet their needs.”
“I was reassured to read in the CQC report that our new chief executive of adult social care, Kim Curry brings stability and is having a significant positive effect on culture, strategy and outcome.”
“Our improvement journey will be shaped by the people who use our services, and we will be open and transparent about our progress.”
The council has informed key partners, including the East Riding Safeguarding Adults Board, of the inspection outcome. The board is led by an independent chair and made up of representatives from several organisations including the council, police, health, care and voluntary sectors and is also responsible for holding partners to account through scrutiny and governance.
Kay Durrant, Independent Chair of the East Riding Safeguarding Adults Board, said:
“I have reviewed the inspection report and discussed the council’s response. I am confident that the leadership team is committed to addressing the concerns raised and that the board will support the improvement plan to ensure vulnerable adults are protected and supported.”
Key improvements that the Council says it is working on include:
- reducing waiting times for assessments and reviews
- strengthening leadership and management oversight
- enhancing safeguarding training and quality assurance
- improving data quality and performance monitoring
- increasing involvement of service users
East Riding of Yorkshire Council added:
“The council acknowledges the growing demand for adult social care services, particularly in our area with a higher proportion of the population aged over 65. While funding pressures remain a challenge, they do not excuse delays or ineffective processes. We are committed to delivering meaningful change and ensuring that every resident receives the support they need, when they need it.”
You can download the full report on the CQC website here
To view the response from Councillor Jonathan Owen, cabinet member for adult social care and health at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, see:
