Sunderland City Council: local authority assessment

There was an inclusive and positive culture of continuous learning and improvement. Local authority staff had ongoing access to learning and support so that Care Act duties were delivered safely and effectively. There was a comprehensive training and development offer which included supportive supervision and learning at all opportunities. Learning was identified and reinforced by data, which also fed thorough audit and performance management. There was support for continuous professional development. The local authority had a culture of continuous improvement, with a focus on learning from mistakes and sharing best practices. There was constant investment in staff development such as staff training and development, including apprenticeships and leadership programs. Staff and leaders engaged with external work, including research, and embedded evidence-based practice in the organisation. Staff told us they had comprehensive access to training to support to deliver best practice.

Staff reported they were able to deliver a strength based and person-centred approach as the local authority has invested in the three conversations approach. The three conversations approach had three distinct conversations which were used to understand what really mattered to people and families. This was a relationship-based approach where practitioners listened to people and connected them to resources to maintain safety and promote independence and where identified provided proportionate and least restrictive services.

The local authority learned from people’s feedback about their experiences of care and support, and feedback from staff and partners. This informed strategy, improvement activity and decision making at all levels. The local authority had developed a Carers Board to support and monitor implementation of the carer’s strategy. They also had an engagement plan with all key stakeholders on how to identify, recognise and support unpaid carers.

There were processes to ensure that learning happened when things went wrong, and from examples of good practice. Leaders encouraged reflection and collective problem-solving. When talking to us about the senior leadership team, staff said that they were visible, approachable and communication is good. Staff told us that they felt listened to. They gave examples such as the Telephony App to demonstrate how the senior leadership team had listened to frontline workers about barriers and challenges to practice and then taken positive action to make improvements.

People told us they would feel able to speak up if they had concerns. To improve communication with people, the local authority was increasing utilisation of technology such as text messages, teams calling and emails, rather than relying solely on telephone communication. They were ensuring communication was clear, timely and followed up in writing as appropriate. The local authority was using feedback provided by people via the Telephony app to improve their approach in relation to their review activity and to target resources more appropriately.

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee were actively working to improve the health and wellbeing of the workforce. The committee was exploring the use of technology to enhance care delivery, such as the use of fobs for emergency calls, and establishing a work group to address the needs of people with Alzheimer's and Dementia.

The local authority worked collaboratively with people and partners to actively promote and support innovative and new ways of working that improved people's social care experiences and outcomes. Coproduction was emerging throughout the local authority’s work and the local authority recognised they needed to continue improving in this area. In Frontline Services we saw work being progressed to enhance carer identification, respite services, and advocacy support. The approach to brokerage and commissioning had enabled the establishment of networks for people with lived experience which was seen as a positive step towards further co-production.

The approach to data-driven commissioning meant the use of surveys and feedback from Healthwatch informed commissioning decisions and service specifications. While some unpaid carers reported positive experiences of co-production, a small number felt excluded or misunderstood. This said we saw positive examples of co-production such as the wheelchair forum and the involvement of unpaid carers in service development.

The local authority actively participated in peer review and sector-led improvement activity. The local authority drew on external support to improve when necessary. The local authority shared learning, best practice and innovation with peers and system partners to influence and improve how care and support was provided. Through all teams there was cohesive partnership working including collaborative efforts between frontline teams and other agencies, which had strengthened service delivery. The local authority was progressing innovative and effective uses of technology which had improved efficiency and communication. The senior leadership team was committed to staff wellbeing, innovation, and co-production.

The local authority was driving innovation in assistive technology to promote independence and reduce reliance on traditional care services. Key innovations included a "smart house" which showcased available digital technologies like voice-enabled devices, smart plugs, and sensors, providing a practical demonstration of their potential. The local authority were also exploring the use of AI for personalised routines, medication management, and social isolation reduction, including a pilot service using AI via a screen for prompts, reminders, and family contact, aiming to reduce face-to-face care needs. The local authority were piloting a device that monitored behaviour (temperature, door usage, movement, power use) to identify changes and concerning patterns, empowering families to provide care and reducing reliance on formal services. The data from the device was also being used to inform and personalise care plans developed by social workers and therapists. The authority emphasised evidence-based practice (testing by ambassadors) and was actively exploring further technologies and improvements, including enhanced care records and information transfer. They were also piloting services with plans for future implementation based on pilot success, while prioritising privacy and data protection.

The local authority learned from people’s feedback about their experiences of care and support, and feedback from staff and partners. This informed strategy, improvement activity and decision making at all levels. The local authority had a range of policies and procedures for managing complaints and compliments. They held a monthly operational meeting to review complaints and compliments. Meetings were chaired by strategic managers within the service area and invitations were extended to team managers and senior practitioners who had an active complaint pertaining to the practice in their teams.

There was also a quarterly feedback forum to share learning from the operational meetings across the directorate. Senior leaders chaired these meetings. Invitation to the forums were extended to Heads of Service, Strategic Managers, Commissioning Team, Team Managers, Senior Practitioners, and the Complaints Manager. Learning from the feedback forum informed the performance and quality assurance group to enable collation of the quarterly report by the Principal Social Worker and Occupational Therapist and influences case file audit. It also impacted on the supervision and appraisal process at individual and team level.

There were processes to ensure that learning happened when things went wrong, and from examples of good practice. Leaders encouraged reflection and collective problem-solving. There was a total of 79 complaints received for adult social care in 2023-2024. The local authority had taken several actions in relation to complaints. One action was the establishment of a quarterly feedback forum where themes and trends from complaints, compliments and appeals were discussed alongside other feedback so that timely action could be taken, and this also supported development and learning. There was a themed case file audit completed in February 2024, including a desktop audit of open cases in relation to contact and communication with the people. The findings of this audit were used to develop a more effective performance reporting which managers could access, which highlighted any inactivity in case recording. Practice standards had also been reviewed and updated to set out expectations for practitioners. The local authority monitored the outcomes of complaints referred to the Local Government and Social Care ombudsman (LGSCO).