Issue - meetings

Report CS18154

The Committee considered a report outlining a Policy and Protocol document that had been developed to set out the actions to be taken where the Care Quality Commission or Ofsted reduced the rating of an adult care provision to ‘Requires Improvement’ or ‘Inadequate’.

A policy had recently been implemented across the Local Authority through which new care placements would only be made with adult care providers rated as ‘Good’ or above by the Care Quality Commission or Ofsted, reflecting a similar policy already in place for services for children and young people.  To support the implementation of the policy, a Policy and Protocol document had been developed which set out the actions to be taken when the rating of an adult care provision changed adversely.  The Policy and Protocol document also outlined the process to be used when a provider rated ‘Requires Improvement’ had satisfactorily completed the actions required of it, both by the Care Quality Commission and Ofsted, as well as by the Local Authority and its partners.  In such instances it would be possible for the Directors of Children’s or Adult Social Care to agree the resumption of placements with a provision pending the review of their rating.

In considering the report, a Co-opted Member underlined the need for the Portfolio Holder for Adult Care and Health and Chairman, Adult Care and Health PDS Committee to be updated on any issues identified around adult care provision.  The Director: Adult Social Care confirmed that he met with the Portfolio Holder for Adult Care and Health on a weekly basis to discuss any areas of concern, and that this information would also be supplied to the Chairman. 

The Co-opted Member queried how service users were safeguarded within adult care provision. The Director: Adult Social Care advised that a multi-agency Safeguarding Adults Review was undertaken wherever there were concerns around the safety of a service user and that a full range of safeguarding policies were in place, including for out-of-Borough provision.  In response to a question from a Member, the Director: Adult Social Care noted that all Care Quality Commission and Ofsted inspection reports were published to ensure transparency regarding the quality of service provision and the Local Authority worked closely with providers and key partners to maintain good quality and safe adult care provision for Bromley service users.

RESOLVED that the Policy and Protocol document for Provisions that ‘Require Improvement’ or are ‘Inadequate’ be noted.