The CQC Improvement Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee was scheduled to consider updates on recommendations and backlogs in home adaptations, as well as reports from the Adult Social Care Improvement Board. The meeting was also scheduled to review the Sub-Committee's work programme for the upcoming year.

Home Adaptations Timescales and Backlogs

The Sub-Committee was scheduled to receive an update on home adaptations, specifically focusing on timescales and backlogs. This included information on the role of the Healthy Homes Team, which administers the £3.8 million disabled facilities grant (DFG) scheme and equipment loan programmes. The team was scheduled to provide details on the types of adaptations undertaken, such as bathroom works, stairlifts, and ramps, and the processes involved for both complex and non-complex cases. The agenda indicated that the team was scheduled to discuss current waiting lists, with 209 clients waiting to be allocated a case worker and 139 with a case worker. The Sub-Committee was also scheduled to hear about efforts to streamline processes, review the council's capacity, and examine contractor capacity to address these backlogs. Specific attention was scheduled to be given to accelerated pathways for urgent cases, including those with Motor Neurone Disease (MND), and the challenges associated with complex works requiring planning permission and extended build times. An action plan for the accelerated pathway was scheduled to be presented, outlining steps to review the first contact and application process, explore parallel processes for approvals and funding decisions, and introduce new Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

Adult Social Care Improvement Board Meeting Reports

The Sub-Committee was scheduled to consider reports from the Adult Social Care Improvement Board meeting held on 30 September 2026. These reports were scheduled to cover several key areas:

Corporate Support Update

A report was scheduled to detail the contribution of Corporate Resources to the improvement of Adult Social Care. This was to include updates on People Services, focusing on stabilising capacity and enabling sustainable improvement through leadership, recruitment, and workforce assurance. Evidence of delivery, such as an increase in Occupational Therapy (OT) roles and a reduction in backlogs, was scheduled to be presented. The report was also scheduled to cover Learning, Skills and Workforce Development, highlighting expanded provision targeted at priority practice needs. Finance support for the next phase of improvement was also scheduled to be discussed, focusing on monitoring improvement investment, transformation benefits, operational assurance, and governance. Updates on Digital, Data and Performance were scheduled to outline the establishment of a performance framework and the development of reporting systems. Finally, Legal and Governance support for complex decisions within Adult Social Care was scheduled to be detailed, emphasising prevention, assurance, and partnership.

Safeguarding Assurance Plan

The Sub-Committee was scheduled to review the Safeguarding Assurance Plan. This plan was intended to provide assurance on the current operational grip within safeguarding, noting that concerns were being maintained in real-time and that closures were up to date. Key improvement actions, such as twice-weekly safeguarding huddles and RAG-rated triage, were scheduled to be discussed. The plan was also scheduled to outline what success would look like, including timely decision-making and improved triage consistency, and to identify key risks to monitor, such as potential increases in demand and triage inconsistency. The board was asked to seek assurance that strengthened arrangements were embedded and that risks were escalated promptly.

Performance Development Plan

A Performance Development Plan, supported by Deloitte, was scheduled to be discussed. The plan was focused on four critical outcomes to be delivered by the end of October: embedding enhanced Directorate Leadership Team (DLT) performance discussion and reporting, resolving gaps in outstanding DLT metrics, testing the application of the Performance Framework in one service area, and agreeing roles and responsibilities for the Adult Social Care performance team. The board was asked to review and endorse these priorities, note existing assurance arrangements, and acknowledge the ongoing risk to delivery capacity in the performance team.

Executive Director Update

An update from the Executive Director of Adult Social Care and Health, Kim Curry, was scheduled to be presented. This update was expected to highlight achievements such as reaching a milestone of no unallocated safeguarding concerns and major improvements in the quality of performance data. The outstanding CQC rating of outstanding for The Old School House residential care home was also scheduled to be celebrated. Areas of concern and risk were also scheduled to be addressed, including the council's challenged financial position and data quality issues. Progress on reducing waiting times for equipment referrals was also to be discussed. The update was scheduled to outline priority areas for the coming months, including aligning the performance framework with the adult social care strategy and implementing service redesign and restructuring arrangements.

Update from DHSC Improvement Advisor and LGA Care and Health Improvement Advisor

The Sub-Committee was scheduled to receive updates from Paul Najsarek, the DHSC Improvement Advisor, and Richard Parry, the LGA Care and Health Improvement Advisor.

Performance Scorecard and Improvement Plan Updates

An update on the performance scorecard and improvement plan, including feedback from the assurance subgroup, was scheduled to be presented, with data up to 31 August 2026. This was to include a review of performance challenges, such as demand exceeding capacity for OT and equipment referrals, and safeguarding timeliness measures. Successes, such as the reduction in unallocated safeguarding concerns and improvements in annual review performance, were also scheduled to be highlighted. The update was also to cover programme activities requiring attention, including co-production, performance reporting, the redesign of the carers service, and workforce and staff engagement.

CQC Improvement Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee Work Programmes 2026/27

The Sub-Committee was scheduled to consider its Work Programmes for 2026/27. This was to include a report from the Interim Executive Director of Corporate Resources. The agenda indicated that the Sub-Committee's meetings were scheduled to be reviewed to align more effectively with the Improvement Board's six-weekly cycle.

Forward Plan of Key Decisions

The Sub-Committee was scheduled to note that there were no key decisions on the Council's most recently approved Forward Plan of Key Decisions that had not previously been reported and which fell within the Sub-Committee's terms of reference.

The agenda also indicated that the Sub-Committee was scheduled to review the Redesigned Forward Plan, which included a schedule of future workshop themes and agenda items for upcoming Improvement Board meetings. These were to cover topics such as linking the improvement plan to the adult social care strategy, the Target Operating Model (TOM) and adult social care restructure, and customer and user feedback.