Adults' care services 'adequate'

Cornwall was one of eight local authorities told to improve care

Cornwall has been told to urgently improve adult social care after being rated as just "adequate" by a government watchdog.

The county is to get extra support to improve after the rating from the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Cornwall Council said the inspectorate praised the county's leadership, partnerships and work on improvements.

The council added that it was making sure that planned improvements were being built into a four-year strategy.

Cornwall was one of eight local authorities in England told to urgently improve adult social care in its report assessing 148 local authorities.

It is the third year running the county has received an adequate rating. The ratings are: excellent, well, adequate and poor.

Although we clearly have some way to go, we are nevertheless making good progress Kim Carey, Cornwall Council

The commission said the state of social care was "vitally important" and there were still too many vulnerable adults being failed by the system.

Cornwall Council said the CQC report also said there were clear signs of improvement.

It said although the inspectorate rated services as adequate overall, a number of areas were picked out as performing well.

The unitary authority Cornwall Council took over social services from the former county council when it was formed in April.

Kim Carey, director of adult care and support, said: "Although we clearly have some way to go, we are nevertheless making good progress - especially in the light of the extra pressures we have faced because of reorganisation."

Services in the Isles of Scilly were rated as performing well by the CQC.

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