Message from the Cabinet Member for Adults' Services and the Director of Adults and Health

Welcome to our Local Account 2022-23 which is part of our annual cycle of performance that sets out our achievements and challenges as well as areas for improvement.

The projected increase in the population together with the greater complexity of people’s needs and the rising cost of care all mean that we, along with other local authorities across the country, will be confronted with growing demand and financial pressures for some time.

To position ourselves well for the future so we can deliver our services in a sustainable and cost efficient way, we embarked on a two-year ambitious Improvement Programme in early 2023.  We do not underestimate the work that lies ahead of us – we need to make savings, prepare for a forthcoming Care Quality Commission Assurance process while continuing to meet our statutory duties.

Now more than ever we must take time to celebrate our successes and the way we are managing the pressures. This is why we took time out in spring 2023 to hold a staff conference themed around resilience and wellbeing. This provided the opportunity for us to applaud the dedication of our workforce, particularly over the very testing period of the COVID-19 pandemic, to acknowledge good practice across our service, and to share and discuss our plans for the future. We were especially pleased that some of the people we support helped to plan the event and joined us on the day.

We were also inspired to see the success of so many of our Adults’ Services teams and individuals in the Council’s ‘Living our Values Every Day’ awards in June 2023. It demonstrated the commitment of our staff to the people they support and this engenders a deep sense of gratitude and pride in us.

Finally as ever, we want to pay tribute to our dedicated staff for investing their energy and commitment to support those who depend on us.  This year we welcome not only newly appointed social workers from overseas, but occupational therapists too and we are immensely grateful to them for joining the service. We wish them every success in this new chapter of their lives.

We look forward to continuing our journey together.