The Adult Social Care and Health Services Scrutiny Subcommittee met on Wednesday 25 February 2026 to discuss the progress of the Lambeth Carers Strategy, the annual performance of Adult Social Care services, and the Care Quality Commission's assessment of the council's adult social care provision. Key decisions included noting the progress of the Carers Strategy, reviewing the annual performance report, and being updated on the CQC assessment process, with the final report's publication pending.

Update of the Carers Strategy Action Plan

The committee received an update on the Lambeth Carers Strategy 2024-2029, highlighting significant progress made in its first year of implementation. Councillor David Bridson, Cabinet Member for Healthier Communities, introduced the item, emphasising the importance of carer involvement throughout the strategy's development and delivery. Katherine Cowling from the Integrated Commissioning Team and Alice from Carers Hub Lambeth provided further details.

A key focus has been on improving the wellbeing of carers, with initiatives such as discounted memberships at Active Lambeth sites and an increase in the number of carers' assessments completed, exceeding the target with 1,994 assessments in 2024-25. Efforts have also been made to support carers in quitting smoking through motivational interviewing training.

In terms of an integrated carers pathway, the implementation of MyChart across Guy's and St Thomas' Foundation Trust and King's College Hospital has improved information access for patients and carers. Improved information and awareness campaigns have been launched, alongside a new Carer's Welcome Pack for mental health services. A Carer's Passport is also being piloted.

The strategy aims to equip the workforce through an integrated 0-25 disabilities service and by safeguarding and increasing funding for carers services. Visibility and recognition of carers have been promoted through the Lambeth Carers Awards 2024 and dedicated seminars for GPs. A Lambeth Staff Carers Forum has been established to provide peer support.

Empowerment of carers is being fostered through continued involvement in decision-making and the strengthening of peer support. The recommissioning of carers' services has been used to address culturally appropriate support, and efforts are underway to prevent financial hardship for carers through various initiatives.

The Hospital Discharge Project, a flagship initiative under the integrated carers pathway priority, has been successful in supporting carers during hospital discharge. The project, funded by the Accelerated Reform Fund, has seen 170 unique Lambeth carers supported, with 69 new carers identified. The project has also made 67 external referrals to services such as Adult Social Care and mental health support. Challenges include managing cases from out-of-borough carers and increasing ward staff awareness. A case study highlighted how Carers Hub Lambeth advocated for Tanya, a carer for her daughter Jessica, ensuring her rights and needs were recognised within the hospital setting. Recommendations from the project include greater hospital staff involvement, senior leadership endorsement, sufficient resources, and seamless integration into hospital processes.

Year 2 delivery plans include continuing to promote the Active Lambeth discount, providing smoking cessation advice, reviewing respite pathways, and developing carer awareness training for all Lambeth Council staff. The Lambeth Carers Awards will continue, with a focus on GPs and young carers.

Annual Performance Report

The committee reviewed the Adult Social Care Activity and Performance Report for Lambeth Adult Social Care (ASC) for 2024/25. Councillor David Bridson, Cabinet Member for Healthier Communities, highlighted the strengthening of the demand management approach at the Front Door, with an emphasis on prevention, early intervention, and proportionate responses.

Despite an increase in referrals to front door services, the number of people receiving long-term Adult Social Care support remained stable at 4,980. There was a notable increase in short-term reablement episodes, with 1,688 delivered, reflecting a commitment to maximising independence. Review performance also saw significant improvement, with 86% of individuals receiving services for 12 months or more having had a review, exceeding the London average.

Demand pressures continued, with 8,265 requests for support received. The response focused on preventative approaches at the initial point of contact. An increase in demand for residential care placements for people with dementia was noted, with actions underway to address market sufficiency.

The report highlighted changes in national data collection with the introduction of Client Level Data (CLD), cautioning that year-on-year comparisons should be treated with care. Lambeth ASC's approach involves setting local Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and a continuous improvement model.

Key performance indicators showed positive trends in reviews completed, carer assessments offered, and personal outcomes from safeguarding enquiries. However, areas for improvement were identified, including the proportion of people receiving services via direct payment and overall satisfaction of service users.

The report detailed activity relating to assessments, with a decrease in social care assessments attributed to preventative interventions. Occupational therapy assessments also decreased, while sensory assessments saw a significant increase. Reablement episodes increased by 8% from the previous year, with a focus on community referrals.

Long-term support figures remained stable, with a 5% increase in residential care placements, largely due to increased demand for dementia placements. Carer support saw an increase of 12% from the previous year, with efforts focused on identifying more carers and offering assessments. The report also detailed the ethnicity of service users, noting that individuals recorded as Black or Black British were overrepresented in long-term support and reablement services compared to the Lambeth population.

Safeguarding concerns saw a decrease of 10%, attributed to improved partner understanding of thresholds and consistent decision-making. The report also provided an overview of care provider information, noting good capacity across the market and a strong quality position with 82% of providers rated as Good or Outstanding.

Update - Care Quality Commission Assessment of Lambeth Adult Social Care

The committee received an update on the Care Quality Commission (CQC) assessment of Lambeth Adult Social Care. Nick Le Friec, Senior Programme Manager, explained that the assessment process, which concluded in October 2025, involved extensive evidence gathering, including interviews with staff, partners, and people with lived experience. High-level verbal feedback indicated a passionate and dedicated workforce committed to equity and inclusion.

Lambeth Adult Social Care is awaiting the publication of its final assessment report, which will include an overall judgement and scores for nine quality statements. The CQC is currently completing baseline assessments for 153 local authorities nationally, with approximately two-thirds of reports published. In London, 63% of local authorities assessed have achieved a Good or Outstanding outcome.

The CQC is planning to redesign its assessment framework, moving towards annual self-assessments and engagement meetings, with comprehensive assessments every three to four years. A new quality statement focusing on outcomes for unpaid carers is proposed.

The committee was informed that Lambeth would have a 10-working-day window for a factual accuracy check once the draft report is received. The publication of the final report is subject to a backlog and pre-election restrictions due to the May 2026 local elections.

Work Programme

The committee reviewed its work programme for 2025-26. Items already scheduled for future meetings included an update on the Carers Strategy Action Plan, the Annual Performance Report, and the Care Quality Commission Assessment of Lambeth Adult Social Care. The committee also discussed potential future scrutiny items, including neighbourhood working, recruitment and retention of the social care workforce, and the re-accreditation of the Sanctuary Seeking Service. The committee requested that Democratic Services schedule a work programming session in mid-January 2026.

The committee also noted the action log, which detailed outstanding actions from previous meetings, including the circulation of training calendars, updates on service gaps, sharing of safeguarding and assessment animations, and exploration of age-related complaint trends.