This meeting will focus on the performance of Lambeth Adult Social Care. The committee will be provided with several reports examining performance data for 2023/24 against local targets and compared to other London Boroughs. The Committee will also receive the Annual Safeguarding Report and will consider Adult Social Care provision for LGBTQ+ people in Lambeth.

Adult Social Care Performance Report

The Adult Social Care Performance Report 2023-24 sets out the performance of Adult Social Care during 2023/24 against the department's internal targets, and also benchmarks performance against other London boroughs. The report will examine performance across a range of key indicators including, time taken to complete assessments and reviews, the proportion of carers that have been identified and offered an assessment, the number of safeguarding concerns raised, and whether desired outcomes from safeguarding enquiries are being met. Outcomes for service users and carers will also be reviewed, which are collected via national surveys. Notably Lambeth has seen a reduction in the total number of referrals for new clients in 2023/24, with 6,638 referrals recorded, which represents a 5% decrease from the previous year. This is attributed to the Council's Front Door work which offers alternative support via third sector organisations. The Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework (ASCOF)¹ indicators have also seen improvement with 10 out of the 11 indicators showing positive increases, which are derived from surveys completed by service users and carers. Five of these indicators are now in the top 25% nationally.

Annual Safeguarding Report

The LSAB Annual Report 2023-24 sets out the activity and performance of the Lambeth Safeguarding Adults Board (LSAB)² for the year 2023/24, which is a requirement of the Care Act 2014³. Notably the LSAB have seen a reduction in the number of Safeguarding Concerns received by Adult Social Care, with 1,905 concerns recorded, which is 11% lower than the previous year. This is attributed in part to the work of the Council's Safeguarding Hub, which aims to promote a consistent approach to screening and responding to safeguarding concerns. The report provides assurance that the Council are fulfilling its statutory duties and working in partnership with key stakeholders including, the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM), Guy’s and St Thomas’s NHS Foundation Trust (GSTT), King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (KCH), the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), and local community and voluntary sector organisations, such as Age UK Lambeth. The report also sets out the Board's plans for the coming year, which are focused on three key priorities: Communication, Partnership working, and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. In particular, the LSAB plans to focus on strengthening partnership working arrangements with other local Safeguarding Boards, including the Lambeth Safeguarding Children Partnership⁴ (LSCP), and the Community Safety Board, in order to support a joined-up approach to safeguarding adults and children. The Board will also be working to improve communication and engagement with local communities, with a particular focus on producing accessible information and ensuring that the Council's safeguarding information is inclusive. The Board also intends to strengthen its work on Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) by scrutinising and analysing safeguarding data to identify any potential disparities. For example, exploring whether mental health service users face particular barriers to accessing support, and considering how to improve outcomes and access to advocacy for those service users. The LSAB will also be working to improve the recording of EDI data, including sexuality and disability, to support their work in this domain.

Adult Social Care Complaints Annual Report

The ASC Complaints Annual Report 2023-24 provides a summary of the complaints received about the Council's Adult Social Care services for the year 2023/24. Notably there has been a small increase in the number of complaints received, with 107 complaints recorded, compared to 95 in the previous year. The 107 complaints made represent 2% of the total number of people supported by Adult Social Care in 2023/24. It should be noted, however, that the number of people receiving support from Adult Social Care has also increased by 2% in the reporting year, to 5,084. 69% of the total complaints received relate to Assessments and Social Work, which is a small decrease from the previous year, where 72% of complaints related to this function. The second highest area of complaint is around financial issues, which represents 15% of complaints received and is an increase from the previous year of 9%. 18% of complaints were upheld in 2023/24, compared to 21% in the previous year, and 30% of complaints were partially upheld, compared to 31% in the previous year. In 2023/24, Lambeth Adult Social Care received 2 complaints from the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman⁵ (LGO). One of these complaints, relating to an allegation that the Council had reduced a person’s care without a change in their needs, was upheld by the Ombudsman.

Adult Social Care for LGBTQ+ in Lambeth

This report examines the work that is being done to ensure that all adult social care services commissioned by Lambeth create an inclusive environment where LGBTQ+ residents feel safe. This includes working to ensure that services take into account the needs of LGBTQ+ people, and working with providers to improve the quality of care offered to LGBTQ+ residents. The report highlights that Lambeth has the highest proportion of residents in London who identify as LGBTQ+ and that research has shown that older LGBTQ+ people are more likely to experience isolation. The report notes that the Council is currently working to become an Age-Friendly borough and that the needs of LGBTQ+ residents are being included in this work. The Council is also continuing to deliver on the Pride in Care Award. This award, previously run by Opening Doors London, is now delivered by the LGBT Foundation. The award aims to help social care providers to improve their understanding of the needs of LGBTQ+ residents. The report pack contains examples of good practice in the care sector. For example, Excelcare, who provide care home placements in Lambeth, include information on their website about their commitment to providing a welcoming environment for LGBTQ+ residents. The report explains how the Council is working to ensure that its commissioning practices reflect the needs of LGBTQ+ people. For example, providers bidding for contracts to provide extra care housing in Lambeth have to demonstrate how they will meet the needs of older LGBTQ+ people. The report also sets out the Council's plans to develop a Commissioning Action Plan to be co-produced and developed in consultation with care home residents, older LGBTQ+ residents, VCSOs, and NHS partners. This action plan will include specific actions to be taken to improve outcomes for all LGBTQ+ residents.

Work Programme and Action Log

The Committee will also consider its Work Programme for the coming year and will review its Action Log to ensure that any recommendations and requests from previous meetings have been addressed. The committee will also identify and prioritise any new issues to be examined at future meetings.