Wirral Council’s Adult Social Care Services Improve to Good in Latest CQC Assessment

Metropolitan Borough of Wirral Council has improved its adult social care rating from requires improvement to good following an assessment by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

The assessment examined nine areas across four themes to evaluate how effectively the authority meets its responsibilities for ensuring people can access adult social care and support. Eight areas were rated good, while equity in experience and outcomes and safe pathways, systems and transitions received lower scores, indicating areas requiring further attention.

CQC found improvements since its previous assessment in 2024, particularly in how the council uses information to shape services around people’s needs and address capacity challenges.

The authority had expanded extra care housing for autistic people, people with learning disabilities, mental health needs and complex conditions. It had also introduced plans to help people move from 24-hour supported accommodation into a short-term mental health recovery hub when they no longer needed round-the-clock support, helping them rebuild confidence and independence.

Waiting times for care reviews had also reduced. At the previous assessment, around two-thirds of reviews were overdue, with completion rates below the national average. CQC found the council had made progress in addressing these delays.

Access to occupational therapy had improved, with average waiting times falling by 42%, from 106 to 61 days. People were also receiving equipment and home adaptations more promptly, supporting independence and reducing the risk of needing additional care.

CQC found that most people had a positive experience when accessing care and support, with timely follow-ups, appropriate assistance and opportunities to have their views heard.

The council had also improved the range and quality of available services, including care homes, supported by quality assurance processes that involved visiting every CQC-regulated home at least once a year.

Inspectors highlighted effective safeguarding arrangements, with risks identified and managed promptly. The authority was also working with partners to provide specialist dementia support in care homes, helping people avoid unnecessary moves when their condition deteriorated.

Unpaid carers and people receiving support were encouraged to contribute to boards and groups, allowing them to influence service improvements.

Despite the improved rating, CQC identified areas where further work was needed. Partners raised concerns about the accessibility of information on the council’s website, particularly for mobile users, people with visual impairments and those who could not easily read English.

Inspectors also found that some young people moving from children’s to adult services were not always given sufficient preparation time to ensure appropriate support arrangements were in place.

CQC director of adult social care and local authority assessments, Mary Cridge, recognised the progress made by the authority while highlighting the need to address remaining inequalities in access to services, including barriers linked to language and culture.

The regulator said council leaders were aware of the areas requiring improvement and had plans in place to address them.

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