The Health and Care Act (2022) empowered the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to assess how well local authorities meet their duties under Part 1 of the Care Act (2014) using their single assessment framework.
Devon County Council has consistently produced an annual self-assessment of its delivery of adult social care services and the outcomes they achieve for people in the form of an annual report including in 2021, 2022 and 2023 with the 2024 report published at the end of the term of the previous Council in the form of our guide to adult social care in Devon 2024 and self-assessment of adult social care in Devon 2024.
We have also periodically invited the Local Government Association (LGA) to undertake a peer review of adult social care in Devon (most recently in 2023) publishing the outcome.
We welcome the additional assurance and transparency that CQC will give people in Devon and members of the Council and the insights the process will give to inform our continuous improvement.
CQC has published guidance on local authority assessments.
The LGA offers guidance and support to local authorities subject to the CQC’s new assurance framework. In January 2024, we engaged them through Partners in Care and Health to support our staff and system leaders in preparing for CQC assurance including interviews and focus groups.
We work with the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) locally and nationally on sector-led improvement.