The County Council has once again admitted that local residents are still at risk of being let down by key aspects of adult care services and that current pressures make improvements difficult. Papers discussed by county councillors today revealed that the county’s risk register shows as of high concern (red) that:

– the reinspection of its already ‘poor’ supporting people programme is likely to show a lack of improvement
– that it is ‘possible’ that the council will be unable to make sustained performance improvements because of an ‘increased demand’ for services.

Cllr Allan Witherick, spokesperson on adult care services, commented:
‘This shows yet again that the council is failing in one of its key services. It should have planned for an increase in demand and should have made headway in improving its performance in the supporting people programme.

‘More worrying is that fact that the risk is seen more one of reputation and litigation than the risk that key vulnerable sections of the population will not get the care that they are entitled to.’