Comprehensive assessments
When we have gathered enough evidence for a comprehensive assessment across all the quality statements, we start to write the assessment report for the local authority.
There will be a short period between the assessment and publication of the report to enable local authorities to check the factual accuracy of the draft report.
We will publish comprehensive local authority assessment reports on our website. These reports will include:
- a short summary of the key features of the local authority
- the overall rating of the assessment
- a focus on the outcomes and experiences of people, including unpaid carers, and how we used it in our assessment
- the score for each quality statement and our most up-to-date findings for each theme and quality statement
- a summary of the local authority’s performance against the relevant quality statement that map to the Secretary of State’s priorities
- narrative to describe areas for development, areas of strength and whether performance is improving.
The content of our reports reflects what different audiences have told us they need, including the design and how they are presented.
If we have rated the adult social care provision as either good or outstanding, you may choose to promote this using our promotional graphics for local authorities.
Focused assessments
When we have gathered enough evidence for a focused assessment, we start to write an assessment report for the local authority.
There is a short period between assessment and publication to provide an opportunity for local authorities to carry out a factual accuracy check.
We publish our focused assessment reports on our website. They include:
- a short summary of the key features of the local authority
- the reason for the focused assessment, including the quality statement(s) that we have assessed
- the score for the quality statement(s) that have been assessed and our most up-to-date findings for each
- a focus on people’s outcomes and experiences, including unpaid carers, and how we used it in the assessment
- a description of areas of strength and areas that need to develop, and the direction of travel for any improvements in the local authority
- a summary of the local authority’s performance against the relevant quality statement that maps to the Secretary of State’s priorities.
The report for a focused assessment will not include an updated overall rating as that will not change following a focused assessment.
The content of our reports reflects what different audiences have told us they need, including the design and how they are presented.
National-level reports using our independent voice
We will usually publish a report at a national level that includes findings from our assessments of local authorities and recommendations, where appropriate. Independent voice activity does not result in reports about individual local authorities and will not change the overall rating for any local authority.
Notifying the Secretary of State of failing performance
Sharing concerns of performance that requires improvement
Our reports will make clear any areas that require improvement. We consider local authorities to be best placed to lead their own improvement. Our assessments consider any improvement actions that a local authority has already put in place.
Where there is risk to individual people, we have a general duty to share information in line with safeguarding protocols.
Any support or intervention will be overseen or undertaken by the appropriate organisation. Where appropriate, we discuss our findings with this organisation to help to identify the required improvement support.
Notifying the Secretary of State of inadequate performance
If we find that a local authority is failing to perform its functions under the Care Act to an acceptable standard, we must inform the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. This duty is under section 50 of The Health and Social Care Act 2008.
The duty is triggered where any quality statement receives a score of 1. This applies to all quality statements, except those under the Leadership theme. These do not directly map to Part 1 of The Care Act.
When this happens, our Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care and Integrated Care will write separately to both:
- the Secretary of State to explain how we made our decision, setting out the key evidence and findings that have led to the decision, our assessment of the levels of risk to people, the likelihood of it happening again and any follow-up actions that are planned or that we have already taken
- the Chief Executive and Director of Adult Social Services at the local authority to inform them that a section 50 notification has been made.
Following this notification, the Department of Health and Social Care will decide on and co-ordinate any improvement or intervention activity.
This is described in the Operational framework for adult social care intervention in local authorities.