Bedford Borough Council’s Executive has approved a recovery plan to deploy additional resources to reduce adult social care waiting lists and waiting times, following concerns identified by a national watchdog.
The Executive agreed a high-level version of the Adult Services Improvement Plan on Wednesday (3 June).
A report to the meeting said that implementing the plan will require “additional resources, in particular to help reduce waiting lists and waiting times”.
The plan was developed following an assessment by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which identified concerns regarding unpaid carers, data quality, safeguarding, governance, and leadership.
The report states: “Adult Services is required to submit an improvement plan to [Department of Health and Social Care] DHSC due to the outcome of the CQC assessment.
“The plan is focused on the key areas identified within the assessment as needing the most urgent attention.”
Measures included in the draft plan include deploying focused social work resources to address waiting lists across the directorate, introducing targets for waiting times and waiting lists, monitoring waiting-list reduction and reviewing the council’s approach to supporting people while they wait for services.
Actions include developing a carers strategy, improving contingency planning, identifying hidden carers and reviewing the information available to carers at key stages of their caring role.
An improvement board will oversee delivery of the programme, with its first meeting scheduled for June 8.
Executive members approved the high-level version of the improvement plan.
A final version is due to be submitted to the Department of Health and Social Care by 18 June.
By John Guinn
Local Democracy Reporter
