CQC rates Suffolk County Council’s adult social care as Good

The Care Quality Commission has rated Suffolk County Council as Good for how well it is meeting its responsibilities under the Care Act 2014 to ensure people have access to adult social care and support.

This is the first formal rating for the council under CQC’s new local authority assessment framework, following an earlier pilot assessment in 2023, where Suffolk was also found to be providing good access to adult social care.

As part of the assessment, CQC evaluated nine areas across four themes. Suffolk received scores of three out of four in five areas, including care provision, safeguarding, governance, partnership working, and learning and improvement. It scored two out of four for assessing people’s needs, supporting healthier lives, and ensuring equity in people’s experiences and outcomes.

Inspectors found that many people accessing adult social care in Suffolk had positive experiences. People told CQC they felt listened to, staff took time to understand what mattered to them, and care was centred around maintaining independence wherever possible.

The assessment also highlighted strong partnership working with health services, particularly through integrated neighbourhood teams and the council’s reablement service. Data covering December 2024 to November 2025 showed that 79% of people using the reablement service experienced a reduction in their care and support needs.

Inspectors also praised the council’s safeguarding arrangements, its work to involve people with lived experience in shaping services, and its use of digital technology, including medication reminders, fall detection devices and video care phones to help people remain independent.

However, CQC identified several areas where further improvement is needed.

At the time of the assessment, more than 2,000 people were waiting for an annual care review, with some experiencing significant delays. Some unpaid carers reported they had not received a carers’ assessment despite requesting one, while others said they had limited access to respite breaks and ongoing support.

Inspectors also found that people living in rural areas sometimes faced longer waits and greater difficulty accessing services because of transport challenges. Staffing vacancies had also contributed to delays in occupational therapy assessments and home adaptations, while digital exclusion remained a barrier for some older people, people whose first language is not English, and those with cognitive needs.

Commenting on the findings, Chris Badger, CQC’s Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care and Integrated Care, said the authority had many strengths, including committed staff, strong safeguarding practice and a focus on prevention and independence. He added that CQC looked forward to seeing further progress in the areas identified for improvement.

The full assessment report is available on the CQC Website.

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