Agenda item

Presentation by the Assistant Director, Adult Services

The Assistant Director, Adult Services, provided an update on the Care Quality Commission (CQC) Assurance Framework which reminded Members of the new regulatory powers granted to the CQC under the Health and Care Act to assess local authorities, the role of the CQC, and the four themes and nine underlying quality statements contained within the assessment framework.

Members received further information in relation to the Care Act Principles, an anticipated timeline of activity in terms of local assessment, the status of inspections across the North-East as at July 2024, and the work undertaken in terms of Darlington’s self-assessment, including an analysis of current strengths and areas of development.

Discussion ensued on the criteria and selection process for the cases to be inspected by the CQC, the additional workload that shifting timescales would create, the learning opportunities from those authorities which had gone through the inspection process, and the work undertaken to improve accessibility and presence on the Council’s website.

RESOLVED – That the content of the update be noted.