North Somerset Council: local authority assessment

The local authority in North Somerset demonstrated a strong and inclusive culture of continuous learning, improvement, and professional development within its adult social care services. Staff at all levels had ongoing access to training and support, ensuring that Care Act duties were delivered safely and effectively. A positive team culture was evident, with frontline staff frequently highlighting open communication, accessible senior leadership, and facilitated regular team meetings that fostered collaboration and teamwork. Informal celebrations of successes and readily available training opportunities further reinforced this supportive environment.

Most staff we spoke to felt supported through supervision and appraisals and that they had opportunities to develop and complete any training or required learning. A member of staff told us about excellent training opportunities, with excellent cross team working, despite a lot of structural changes. Teams work well together, we heard there was good morale across teams, front line staff communicated they were happy to learn and were positive about change.

The local authority demonstrated a commitment to developing a supportive work environment for its staff. Across focus groups, staff consistently reported feeling supported, with access to good training and professional development opportunities. This culture of support and growth was a clear strength and reflected positively on the local authority's approach to workforce development.

The local authority placed a clear emphasis on staff well-being, offering generous leave provisions, including carer's and disability leave, and promoting work-life balance. This commitment to its workforce contributed to consistently high levels of staff satisfaction surveys and staff retention, with the Local Government Association ranking North Somerset as the top-performing local authority in the Southwest for overall social worker satisfaction over four consecutive years.

There was some positive feedback shared of coproduction groups. People involved told us that they saw value in the way the local authority listened carefully to the views of people who draw on services and their carers separately, as this has given carers opportunity to have their say. The local authority will now include these carers on the carers partnership board and involve them co-producing the carers strategy’. Those involved in the group told us that they felt the local authority is committed to accessing the views and contributions and they are enthused about co-production opportunities that arise. The local authority shared ideas and best practices to improve care across the region, which showed their commitment to growth, inclusivity, and excellence in adult social care.

There were established structured pathways for professional development, ensuring staff had access to a wide range of internal and external training opportunities. A formal learning and development plan offered programs such as legal updates, train-the-trainer courses, and additional training tailored to individual roles. There was also a structured and strategic approach to the identification and training of staff in Best Interests Assessor (BIA), Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS), and Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) training pathways. In particular, the training for Approved Mental Health Professionals was well-planned, ensuring that staff were identified, supported, and trained effectively to meet service demands. The local authority actively supports professional growth through initiatives like social work apprenticeships, an apprentice swap scheme, and leadership training, all of which are designed to develop staff expertise and leadership capacity.

The local authority identified issues related to access to digital systems and staff training. A review was undertaken, with the outcome expected to be completed before June 2025. This aimed to build on existing processes to ensure people’s safety and experience remained a priority.

There were established audit processes for individual casework. However, the local authority had recognised that learning from SARs and serious case reviews held centrally needed improvements. Although, there were various routes in place to share the knowledge and promote learning amongst staff. For instance, initiatives such as self-neglect week, which included learning sessions, an all-staff event, and Mental Capacity Act (MCA) training on executive dysfunction, alcohol misuse, and self-neglect. There had also been recent changes to ensure clearer triangulation of learning, utilising the sub-groups of the SAB with increased support from the Principal Social Worker and Principal Occupational Therapist.

The local authority recognised there was more they could do to improve workforce skills and practice for people with disabilities or protected characteristics and groups who reside in seldom heard communities, from to help engage and support them to use care provision services. To address these specific workforce needs, the local authority had invested in specialised training, including British Sign Language (BSL) courses to improve communication with deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals and cultural competency training to develop staff’s ability to work sensitively with diverse communities. Frontline staff raised concerns about the strain on services when team members moved into senior roles without timely replacements, highlighting an area for improvement in managing workforce transitions due to development and progression opportunities. Providers told us the local authority had a ‘proud to care’ department, in which providers can attend events to inform people about opportunities in social care.

Beyond internal development, the local authority engaged actively with external partners and research to drive innovation and informed decision-making. Staff told us that ‘collaborations such as the Bristol University's ConnectED research project, help to equip frontline staff with skills to apply research in everyday practice, improving people outcomes and sharing learning widely through accessible resources like podcasts. Similarly, the partnership with the University of the West of England (UWE) on overseas care workers' experiences reflected a commitment to addressing workforce challenges and promoting equity in the workplace’.

The local authority also participated in sector-led improvement activities with organisations like Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) and the Local Government Association (LGA), drawing on national best practices, standards, and evidence-based approaches to enhance their delivery of Care Act duties. Using performance benchmarking tools like the Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework (ASCOF) and the Office for Local Government metrics, which informed targeted improvements, while engagement with the LGA’s annual health check survey identified areas for continued development, particularly around professional growth.

We heard coproduction was embedded throughout the local authority’s work, ensuring services were designed collaboratively with those who use them. Feedback from partners informed us that they played a vital role in capturing people’s voices to guide improvement efforts. The local authority also shared learning and best practices with peers and partners to improve care delivery and actively promoted innovative approaches, including digital and technology-enabled care solutions, to enhance people’s independence and well-being. This comprehensive and collaborative approach reflected the local authority’s dedication to achieving high standards in adult social care.

Various members of staff and an ICB partner informed us that the local authority demonstrated a commitment to continuous improvement through a proactive approach to innovation and the integration of new technologies. The local authority invested in technology-enabled care (TEC) initiatives, including pilot projects such as acoustic monitoring systems to enhance care home residents’ well-being and reduce falls, as well as the deployment of remote monitoring technologies. Although the Geniee project faced challenges with uptake due to cost concerns, it provided valuable insights into peoples' interaction with technology, which guided the local authority's shift toward more affordable digital solutions. Beyond technology, the local authority prioritised innovation through initiatives such as establishing a specialist dementia care team, implementing a multi-agency falls response program, and integrating reablement services into hospital discharge pathways. A staff member told us that ‘they were keen to see further expansion of the Local Authorities innovative work on TEC and reablement, seeing this as a key factor to the success of Adult Social Care in the long term’.

Collaboration with external partners further underscored the local authority’s commitment to innovation. Joint efforts included insulin delegation in care homes and the development of a phlebotomy workstream, empowered care home staff and improved the timeliness of people’s care.

Engagement with stakeholders and responsiveness to feedback were key elements of the local authority’s improvement strategy. Mechanisms such as staff surveys, online questionnaires, and co-production groups provided opportunities for input, though inconsistencies in implementation and follow-through were noted. For example, some carers involved in co-production felt their feedback did not consistently lead to meaningful change, highlighting the need to further embed co-production principles across all services. Similarly, while the local authority utilised partner agencies in North Somerset reported findings to inform their strategy, there were gaps in capturing the perspectives of seldom-heard communities. The local authority had acknowledged these challenges and were working to develop processes that enhanced the representation of diverse voices and would improve information accessibility. A senior leader informed us that’ Innovations like the Better Health North Somerset website, had enhanced accessibility to resources and promoted user-friendly, trackable referrals. Showcasing the local authority’s achievements in these areas of focus.

The local authority also recognised the importance of improving data collection, particularly around protected characteristics beyond ethnicity and sexuality, to better identify and address inequalities and have actively made efforts to refine data analysis and integrate feedback more effectively into decision-making processes to enable them to achieve more equitable and sustainable outcomes.

The local authority integrated feedback mechanisms into their continuous improvement strategy, using Learning Together Audits to include input from staff, people, and partners who informed decision-making at all levels. These audits provided a structured approach for teams to reflect on their practices, identify areas for improvement, and implement measurable actions. Progress on these actions was monitored through the Quality Assurance Tracker, though inconsistencies in reporting across areas highlighted the need for further refinement. Regular feedback channels, such as staff and manager drop-in sessions, team meetings, and online questionnaires, further fostered a culture of open communication and collaborative problem-solving. Managers told us these sessions were instrumental in sharing information, enhancing collaboration, and supporting professional development.

The local authority collected feedback from people and carers through surveys and questionnaires, using this input to shape service improvements and strategy development. For example, feedback collected through the Adult Social Care Feedback Form informed enhancements to care planning processes, while insights from the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) influenced improvements in complaint handling and remedial actions. The local authority recognised these gaps in service, which were also reflected in the local authorities draft Audit Report on Adult Social Care Complaints dated 8th May 2024. Following an audit of the complaints to Adult Social Care, processed by the Directorate Governance and Complaints team. This had revealed that several of the key controls of the complaints system were 'weak'. These included limited cohesive and up to date policies, inconsistent use of the Case Tracker tool and a 'number' of complaints that were not dealt with within the targeted timeframes. This resulted in a detailed action plan which addressed the resource issues, gaps in management structures and improved utilisation of the Case Tracker and the introduction of new roles, the ‘Complaint and Governance Assistant Manager and Complaints Support Officer posts. However, the recruitment status of these positions and the full implementation of the new systems remained unclear. We heard the local authority were working to improve their strategy and policy governance arrangements, including strategic ownership and oversight, and are more closely linked with the corporate Policy and Partnerships Team, who will have greater oversight of cross directorate and multi-agency strategy development and delivery.

Leaders emphasised learning not only from feedback but also from when things went wrong, encouraging reflection and collective problem-solving. For instance, staff told us an external review of mental health staff management had led to adjustments that improved service delivery.

A commitment to co-production was evident in the establishment of various co-production groups, ensuring people and carers were involved in shaping decisions. However, while the effectiveness of these groups varied based on their maturity and resource availability, they showcased the local authority's dedication to embedding co-production into its practices.

Data and performance insights played a pivotal role in the local authority's learning approach. Tools like Power BI dashboards enabled real-time monitoring of key performance indicators (KPIs) and emerging trends, while benchmarking activities, such as those using the Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework (ASCOF), provided comparisons against national standards. This proactive use of data informed the local authority’s improvement priorities and strengthened its collaboration with partners within the Integrated Care System (ICS) to design and deliver joint initiatives.