The Community & Adult Services Scrutiny Committee met on Monday 15 June 2026 to discuss an update on Independent Living and Community Social Care services. The committee heard about the council's strategy to support an ageing population, focusing on early intervention, reablement, and integrated services to help residents live independently at home.

Independent Living and Community Social Care Services

The committee received a comprehensive update on the progress of Cardiff Council's Independent Living and Community Social Care services. Councillor Norma Mackie, Cabinet Member for Adult Services and Public Health, opened the discussion by highlighting the demographic challenge of an ageing population in Cardiff and the need for services to adapt. She emphasised the council's commitment to providing the right help in the right place at the right time, focusing on early intervention and joining up health, social care, and community services.

Officers presented the current structure of Independent Living Support (ILS) and Community Social Care, which aims to integrate preventative services with those that support people in crisis. This includes reablement services, occupational therapy, homecare, technology and adaptations, and close collaboration with hospital services. The core aim of ILS is to support individuals to live independently at home and remain connected to their communities through tailored information, advice, and support. The service operates on a staged approach, beginning with a what matters conversation at the first point of contact, followed by occupational therapy-led assessments for more complex needs, and finally, social worker intervention for the most complex cases.

Key achievements highlighted included:

• Wellbeing and Prevention: Over 10,913 calls were received by the First Point of Contact service in the last year, leading to 2,480 wellbeing assessments. Crucially, 56% of these assessments resulted in individuals not requiring formal care and support, demonstrating the effectiveness of early intervention. Services offered include money and debt advice, benefits health checks, provision of living aids and equipment, fuel poverty prevention, meal management support, and fall prevention. A significant £652,426 in unclaimed benefits was secured for citizens.
• Trusted Assessor Model: This approach, which involves comprehensively trained assessors, has been integral to meeting demand and ensuring resources are used effectively. It allows social workers to focus on the most complex cases, preventing duplication and enabling a more proactive service. Occupational Therapists and Independent Living Officers can now prescribe care, aids, and equipment, reducing reliance on statutory services.
• Reablement Services: The Community Resource Team (CRT) focuses on strength-based care to empower individuals to regain independence. The reablement bridging service provides short-term support to fill gaps in care provision, with 25% of those receiving this service being fully reabled and no longer requiring long-term care. A pilot of a Reablement First approach with commissioned domiciliary care providers has shown promising results, with 37% of participants not progressing to long-term care.
• Hospital Discharge: The Integrated Discharge Hub, a multi-agency team, has significantly improved patient flow and reduced delayed transfers of care. Delayed transfer of care days reduced by 30% in the last year, from 8,531 to 5,973. The average end-to-end Discharge to Recover and Assess (D2RA) pathway time has decreased from 41.5 days to 33 days. Two-thirds of discharges were managed through discharge to assess pathways, promoting earlier recovery at home.
• Technology, Equipment, and Adaptations: Technology Enabled Care (TEC) continues to expand, with 643 TEC solutions prescribed to help citizens remain at home. The Disabled Facilities Service completed approximately 850 adaptation works, and the Joint Equipment Store provided over 21,000 deliveries on time.
• Telecare Integration: The Telecare service has been integrated into ILS, shifting from a reactive response to proactive prevention. This service handles over 210,000 calls annually, with an average response time of 33 minutes. In 90% of fall-related call-outs, Telecare staff can assist individuals back up without the need for an ambulance, significantly reducing hospital admissions.

Looking ahead, the council plans to build a responsive, joined-up system with a rapid response team to address individuals in crisis within 4-24 hours. Locality Care Coordinators will be introduced to provide a single point of contact for citizens and providers, and care planning will be enhanced to ensure robust contingency planning and identify service gaps. The focus on the Discharge to Recover and Assess pathway will continue, aiming for 90% of individuals to be assessed at home. The recommissioning of residential and domiciliary care to meet current and future demands is also a priority.

During the question and answer session, councillors raised concerns about preventing individuals who do not require formal care packages from later presenting in crisis. Officers explained that while all risks cannot be eliminated, the focus on individual priorities and providing information empowers citizens to make informed choices. The qualifications of Trusted Assessors were clarified, with comprehensive training provided to ensure competence. The progress of the rapid response team was discussed, with an aim to have it in place within the year. The committee also explored challenges in early intervention for isolated or digitally excluded individuals, with officers highlighting ongoing efforts to understand population needs and work with private providers. The council's positive performance in hospital discharge pathways compared to the Welsh average was noted, with a commitment to provide specific figures. Discussions also touched upon delivering adaptations within budget constraints, with an emphasis on early intervention and creative use of resources.