Isle Of Wight Council 'Requires Improvement' As CQC Releases Adult Social Care Assessment

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has rated the Isle of Wight Council as "requires improvement" following an assessment of how it meets its responsibilities for adult social care under the Care Act 2014.

The assessment forms part of the CQC's new duty to evaluate how local authorities work with communities and partner organisations to support adults with care needs, older people and unpaid carers.

Inspectors assessed the council across nine areas grouped into four themes.

Each area was scored on a scale of one to four, with one indicating significant shortfalls and four representing an exceptional standard.

The Isle of Wight received scores of two in assessing people's needs, supporting healthier lives, equity in experience and outcomes, care provision and continuity of care, and governance, management and sustainability.

Scores of three were awarded for partnership working, safe pathways and transitions, safeguarding, and learning and improvement.

Chris Badger, CQC's Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care and Integrated Care, said the Isle of Wight faces additional pressures because of its ageing population, geography and challenges around transport, workforce recruitment and access to services.

He said:

“Despite the challenges they face, they do have clear strengths to build on.

"Safeguarding arrangements were a notable positive as specialist teams handled referrals consistently, completed enquiries promptly, and people reported feeling supported and safe.

“The authority’s partnership working was also effective, as it aligned priorities with partners, pooling resources and jointly funding services that are making a meaningful difference to people’s lives.”

However, the report found some people were experiencing delays in accessing support and having care plans finalised.

Mr Badger said some individuals reported reaching crisis point before receiving help, while others faced uncertainty due to delays in care planning.

The report also highlighted concerns about hospital discharge arrangements, with inspectors finding some people were placed into residential care when support at home may have been appropriate.

Inspectors also said the council was not consistently monitoring access to services across different groups to ensure everyone was receiving equitable support.

Among the areas identified for improvement, the CQC found leaders did not consistently analyse whether people from different communities, including LGBTQ+ people and those from different ethnic backgrounds, were accessing services equally.

The report also highlighted concerns about a two-tier fee system for care providers, difficulties in monitoring waiting times due to inaccurate data systems, delays in support for unpaid carers, and ongoing backlogs within occupational therapy services.

Despite these findings, inspectors praised the council's leadership team, describing it as experienced, visible and supportive.

Staff reported feeling able to raise concerns directly with senior leaders, while inspectors found a positive culture of openness and trust across services.

The CQC also recognised the council's focus on continuous improvement through regular case audits and learning forums designed to improve practice.

Inspectors further noted that, despite delays in some cases, support for unpaid carers enabled around 20% of eligible people to access short-notice or emergency breaks from caring responsibilities, compared with a national average of 12%.

The CQC said it wants to see the council build on its strengths while addressing areas where people are experiencing delays or gaps in support.

Council responds to adult social care report – ‘improvements underway’

In response, the Isle of Wight Council released a statement saying:

"The Isle of Wight Council is already taking action to improve services after a national watchdog rated its adult social care provision as “requires improvement”.

A report published by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) scored the service at 62 per cent — just one per cent below the threshold needed to secure a “good” rating.

Council leaders said that although the findings highlight some areas for development, they also recognise a number of important strengths already in place across the service.

Laura Gaudion, the council’s strategic director for adult social care, said:

“We recognise there are areas where we need to improve, and we are already taking steps to address these.

“The report gives us a clear picture of where we are doing well, as well as where we need to go further, and it is encouraging that we are very close to a ‘good’ rating.

 "We are committed to building on the progress already made and making sure people on the island receive the care and support they need.”

The council said it will continue working closely with staff, partners and residents as it takes forward its improvement plans.

Island MP reacts

Joe Robertson MP has also reacted to the report, saying:

“The CQC report into the Isle of Wight Council makes for some pretty bad reading, particularly around hospital discharges.

"I recognise that there are challenges locally with lack of care home capacity, but the CQC finds that the Council is placing too many people into residential care when they could be returned home instead, which is where most people would prefer to be.

"Meanwhile, the Government appears to think that we can make more savings in adult social care on the Island.

"I disagree, and have told the Minister for Care that we need specific support on the Island where the challenges are particularly acute.

"I have written to Councillor James Whelan, the new Chair of the Council’s Adult Social Care Committee, urging him to resolve these issues urgently and I have offered my support to help him do so.”