Adult care praised despite wait time concerns

Adult social care users in Nottinghamshire faced long waits for assessments and reviews, a report by the watchdog has found.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) found that in December 2025, 2,687 people's annual reviews were overdue, and of these, 944 were more than 18 months overdue.

At the same time, there were 934 people waiting for a Care Act assessment, with the average delay found to be 36 days, and the maximum 160 days.

However, in most areas, the Nottinghamshire County Council service scored well and gained an overall "good" rating, with inspectors saying the authority should be "proud".

In 2024/25 the authority spent nearly £390m on adult social care, roughly 30% of its total budget.

Delays in assessments brought the risk that some people's changing needs may not have been identified or responded to in time, inspectors said.

But the report noted the authority had clear oversight of how long people were waiting and was working to reduce the number.

The CQC also said other issues included some unpaid carers waiting too long for assessments, inconsistent communication of eligibility outcomes, and some staff said they had been poorly supported during a major reorganisation.

But the wider report, which assessed nine areas, such as safeguarding, governance, care provision and supporting people to lead healthier lives, was largely positive.

Inspectors found service users and unpaid carers saw their views reflected in strategies and service specifications, "giving them real influence over the support available to them".

They also said it had strong systems to oversee the quality of care services, with a dedicated improvement team also worked with services that were struggling, helping them improve while making sure people's care continued.

Technology-enabled care - such as fall detectors and medication reminders - were helping people remain safely in their own homes, rather than entering care settings, the report found.

Chris Badger, CQC's chief inspector of adult social care and integrated care, said: "We found the authority understood its local population well and had good understanding of the needs of people in its area.

"It had also developed a wide range of care services to meet those needs. Most people we spoke with were happy with the care and support they received.

"Our assessment found people weren't just consulted, they genuinely helped to shape services and strategies.

"Overall, Nottinghamshire County Council should be proud of the many positive findings in our report and their good rating. There are areas to build on, and we look forward to returning to see the progress they make."

In January, the council confirmed it was raising some of its fees for adult social care services, such as home care and administrative costs, for the first time since 2017.

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