The Health and Care Act 2022 puts the Care Quality Commission's (CQC) assurance of local authorities on a statutory footing. The new duty on the CQC to assess local authorities’ delivery of their adult social care (ASC) duties under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014 came into effect on 1 April 2023. Linked to this new duty is a power for the Secretary of State to intervene where, following assessment under the new duty, it is considered that a local authority is failing to meet their duties.
In August 2023, the Department for Health and Social Care published its framework for adult social care (ASC) intervention in local authorities. Following a pilot stage, CQC are now rolling out the programme of assessment. It is intended that all local authorities will be inspected over the next two years. Information on councils who have been given notification of assessment and all finalised reports of individual council assessment can be found on the CQC website.
Local authority assessment reports - Care Quality Commission (cqc.org.uk)
Please contact your regional Care and Health Improvement Advisor (CHIA) for further information and support. As soon as a council receives notification from CQC of their assessment, the CHIA will be in touch to offer the council in-person staff preparation workshops.
Documents and tools to support councils with preparation
We’ve produced a suite of documents and tools to help councils with the preparation of the Care Quality Commission's (CQC) new framework.
PSW Assurance Community of Practice events
There are two further sessions for Principal Social Workers (PSWs) in the new year as part of the PSW Assurance Community of Practice. Please note these events are ringfenced for PSWs only.
Preparing the story for inspection
16 January 3.30pm-4.30pm
A look at the DASS and PSW relationship, how to prepare and tell the story in the self-assessment.
Presenting the story during inspection
5 March 1.00pm-2.00pm
Hearing from those PSW's who have experienced it, what they learnt and providing top tips on what not to do.
To join the PSW Community of Practice and access these events please email [email protected].
- Preparing staff for Care Quality Commission assessment: This new toolkit has been developed from our in-person workshop offer, now specifically targeted at councils who have had their CQC assessment notification, to enable all councils to replicate the workshop themselves at their own pace. To receive parts 2, 3 and 4 of the toolkit, please email [email protected]
- The Care Act 2014 and CQC’s assessment framework for local authorities; understanding the relationship between them and strengthening your practice, 5 July 2024 (event presentation)
- Top tips for CQC assurance preparation (2023)
- Adult social care assurance: A guide to the development of your adult social care assessment - this guide is designed to support councils as they prepare for CQC assessment. It is comprised of two parts. The first part provides an introduction and overview of self-assessment. While the second part is a workbook providing tools and templates which have been developed to support the self-assessment process.
- A toolkit to support councils to prepare for CQC assessment as it relates to unpaid carers
- Ten things to do now to prepare for CQC assurance around unpaid carers - this is a quick checklist focusing on local authority duties towards unpaid carers.
- A range of resources, events, and support is available to portfolio holders or lead members for adult social care to help them with their roles.
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