The Bromley adult social care Care Quality Commission report has been published following the CQC’s first assessment of how the council delivers adult social services to residents.
The report recognises a number of strengths, alongside areas where improvements are still needed. Bromley Council has welcomed this balanced view but has also asked the CQC to formally review its findings, saying parts of the inspection did not fully reflect how residents are supported across the borough.
Bromley is currently making significant changes to the way adult social care is delivered. These changes are already having a positive impact on residents, which the Bromley adult social care CQC report acknowledges. The council has been rated as ‘Requires improvement’, with the regulator stating that more time is needed for the new arrangements to become fully established.
Donna Glover, Director of Adult Social Services said, “I am immensely proud of the work colleagues do each and every day to support the residents of Bromley. I would also like to thank residents and partners for their contribution to this inspection process and for the great work we do together to continuously improve how we respond to our residents. Our direction of travel is positive, and we will continue to work closely with our partners to further shape services with our residents, within the obvious financial constraints.”
Council leaders say the timing of the inspection, during a period of operational change, was disappointing and meant some key work may not have been fully recognised in the Bromley adult social care CQC report.
Councillor Colin Smith, Leader of Bromley Council and Co-Chairman of the One Bromley board said, “We are proud of the support we offer our residents in Bromley, so it is obviously extremely disappointing that the CQC visited us during a time of operational change and appear not to have fully seen the extensive arrangements we have set place internally and our working through our various partners and the voluntary sector.
“This includes our partnership with Health and the success of the One Bromley Board which we have been routinely told serves as a model of excellence for others to follow elsewhere, the amazing success of our award-winning Loneliness project, also acknowledged as leading in the field nationally and internationally, in addition to our growing support for Veterans across the borough.
“It is therefore very frustrating to have missed a ‘Good’ rating by such a relatively narrow margin given all of these forward-looking actions.
“After raising multiple points of factual inaccuracy with the CQC over recent weeks, we believe that there are still far too many important questions left unanswered concerning the conclusion of the report at this stage, which is why I have had no hesitation in supporting senior council officers’ advice and recommendation that we should now press for the matter to be formally reviewed.”
The council says it remains focused on improving services for residents and will continue working closely with partners while the Bromley adult social care CQC report is reviewed.
