Camden adult social care deemed ‘outstanding’ by Care Quality Commission

Adult social care services in Camden have received an ‘oustanding’ rating from the UK’s independent health regulator, with staff praised for “going the extra mile”.

Today the Care Quality Commission (CQC) published its report on Camden’s adult social care (ASC) offering following its review in November 2024.

James Bullion, CQC’s chief inspector for adult social care, said investigators witnessed “exceptional levels of service”, and praised the council’s “clear commitment to equity”.

“This is especially important in Camden, which is more ethnically diverse than the England average,” he said, noting the borough’s 20-year difference in life expectancy between its most and least deprived areas.

“Against this backdrop, it is incredibly impressive to see the high-quality and person-centred support they were providing, and the work to reduce these inequalities changes people’s lives.”

Camden’s health and social care chief, Cllr Anna Wright, hailed the “fantastic” news as a “real reward for the hard work that all staff have been putting in”.

In a video on X (formerly Twitter), she highlighted that Camden is now the first and only local authority in the country to receive the top rating under the CQC’s new assessment system introduced in 2023.

She added: “I hope this great news today today is going to boost us with energy and high morale to then carry on with the hard work of delivering even better care for our residents.”

In a council press release, Leader Richard Olszewski described the news as “remarkable” in a context of “unprecedented demand and financial pressure”.

“As such, we know that our work does not stop here. We see this as a strong foundation on which to keep improving,” he said.

The CQC report commended the local authority for how it had engaged with residents, such as involving carers with diverse needs, including LGBTQ+ carers in the design of the action plan.

The inspector also noted the use of a citizen’s assembly to help create the borough’s adult social care vision, reflecting a”commitment to person-centred, self-directed support and power sharing with people who draw on care and support”.

The review comes at a time of uncertainty for the CQC itself.

The Health Secretary Wes Streeting has pledged to overhaul the regulator, claiming it is “not fit for purpose”, and said patients should take its hospital ratings “with a pinch of salt”.

In October, an interim review of the CQC’s effectiveness commissioned by Streeting found “significant failings” had led to a “substantial loss of [its] credibility within the health and social care sectors”.

The report, authored by Dr Penny Dash, also identified concerns with its single assessment framework (SAF) used to determine ratings.

It stated there was “insufficient attention paid to the effectiveness of care and a lack of focus on outcomes (including inequalities in outcomes)”.

At the time, Dr Dash added that there was a “perception” among some councils that assessment teams “lacked the expertise and insight into how local authorities work in adult social care”, and that “very few had social work experience”.

Investigators also received multiple comments from both healthcare providers and the public about “poor-quality reports”.