Healthwatch Newcastle response to The Care Quality Commission (CQC) local authority assessment of Newcastle City Council (Adult Social Care)

We are disappointed to see these findings about Adult Social Care services in Newcastle. We know that people who rely on care and support services, as well as their families and carers, may feel concerned by this rating.

However, we recognise that the report presents a mixed picture. 

It is positive that some people reported feeling listened to, supported and involved in decisions about their care, and that when services work well, they help people feel more confident and maintain independence. 

We also welcome the CQC’s assessment, which highlights both strengths and areas requiring improvement. 

In particular, the findings identify important issues such as:

• Delays in reviews and access to support
• Inconsistent experiences of being heard and involved in decisions
• Challenges faced by some unpaid carers in accessing support
• The need for stronger consistency across systems

These are areas we know matter deeply to local people.

Building on our recent report on patient experiences of hospital discharge pathways in Newcastle, we are pleased to see that the CQC has recognised improvements made by Newcastle City Council in this area of work. 

We know that effective, well-coordinated discharge from hospital is critical to people’s recovery and independence, and it is encouraging that progress is being acknowledged as part of this assessment.

We are also encouraged that there are signs of positive practice more broadly, including partnership working, support to help people live independently, and initiatives to improve access such as streamlined entry points into services. 

We will be seeking ongoing assurance from Newcastle City Council that robust improvement plans are in place to address the issues identified, particularly around timeliness, communication, and ensuring that people and carers are consistently involved in decisions about their care.

The Council has assured Healthwatch Newcastle it intends to take an open, transparent and collaborative approach to improvement – we encourage this. This approach must include actively involving people who use services, unpaid carers, and frontline staff in shaping changes. Listening to lived experience will be essential to rebuilding confidence and ensuring services meet people’s needs.

Healthwatch Newcastle stands ready to support this work. We will continue to gather feedback from local people about their experiences of Adult Social Care and share this insight with decision-makers to help drive further improvement.