Regulator rates council's adult social care as good

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has rated Peterborough City Council's adult social care provision as good.

The CQC has a new duty to assess how local authorities work with partners and support people and their carers.

The report said many people told inspectors they had a positive experience with the service, but it added some people had difficulty accessing information.

Chris Badger, the CQC chief inspector of adult social care and integrated care, said people using the council's services "often had positive experiences".

He added: "There were good levels of satisfaction from people and unpaid carers who told us they felt listened to and received a timely response to requests for support."

"We also saw Peterborough City Council had strengthened its early help services, offering a wide range of support focused on preventing problems before they escalate.

"The local authority used digital tools, including artificial intelligence (AI), to better support residents and staff," he added.

The CQC highlighted areas for improvement, including some planned reviews not taking place on time.

The report also said some unpaid carers who were "digitally excluded" had difficulty accessing essential information.

Stephen Taylor, the council's executive director of adult social care, said he was delighted with the rating and it was "testament to the hard work of our dedicated teams".

"I would like to thank everyone involved for their outstanding efforts.

"I am particularly proud of the passion and determination of our staff to drive forward our improvements.

"However, we will not rest on our laurels and are fully committed to continuing to work to improve outcomes for adults in care across Peterborough," he added.

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