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Somerset Council – ASC Assurance Peer Challenge

Somerset Council – ASC Assurance Peer Challenge

Information to support the LGA Assurance Peer Challenge of Somerset Council's Adult Social Care service

Welcome and Introduction

Somerset Council has commissioned a Local Government Association (LGA) Assurance Peer Challenge for its Adult Social Care service.

This is taking place from Tuesday 5 to Thursday 7 March 2024 at County Hall in Taunton.

It forms part of our wider work to assess how well the Council is working – alongside our partners and providers – to deliver Care Act duties relating to Adult Social Care.

The Peer Challenge process will also help inform our routine self-assessment activity and offer valuable learning to assist our ongoing readiness for Care Quality Commission (CQC) assessment, with the LGA drawing on the CQC framework to inform their activity.

We welcome this as an opportunity for us to showcase our best practice, and reflect with openness and honesty about areas of strength as well as areas of ongoing focus or challenge.

LGA Peer Challenges have long been a key improvement and learning tool that local government has been using as part of its commitment to sector-led Improvement.

For more information, please see:

Contact us

Our Adult Social Care Policy, Performance and Assurance Team is over-seeing and coordinating the timetabling and support activity for the Peer Challenge, and will be assisting with the hosting arrangements in March 2024.

Any queries should please be directed in the first instance to the team by email: ASCInspectionSupport@somerset.gov.uk

Wi-fi access and support

To support easy access to Somerset Council Wi-fi as an external visiting colleague or partner please visit: https://www.wifi.service.gov.uk/connect-to-govwifi/ 

LGA Peer Challenge Team

We warmly welcome the following individuals who make up the LGA Assurance Peer Challenge Team for Somerset:

  1. Lead Peer – Hilary Hall, Corporate Director Community Wellbeing (holding the statutory DASS function), Herefordshire Council 
  2. Member Peer – Councillor Steve Darling,  Overview and Scrutiny Co-ordinator and Leader of Liberal Democrat Group, Torbay Council
  3. Commissioning Peer – Peter Fairley, Director for Integration and Partnerships, Essex County Council
  4. Commissioning Peer – Juliette Garrett, Head of Commissioning for Older People, West Sussex​
  5. Ops Peer – Dan Wilkins, Head of Transforming Adult Social Care and Quality, Wiltshire Council
  6. Principal Social Worker – Kayleigh Bradford, Devon​ County Council
  7. Performance / Quality Peer – Cheryl Hampson, Head of Quality & Performance, Gloucestershire County Council
  8. Peer Challenge Manager – Chris Rowland, Local Government Association

Peer Challenge Timetable

A word version of the Timetable can be accessed here: Somerset LGA Assurance Peer Challenge Timetable FINAL Word Version

Key Document Library

The following key documents are shared below to support the LGA Peer Challenge Team in their understanding of Adult Social Care in Somerset.

Our Day 1 ‘Welcome Presentation’

Our Adult Social Care Self-assessment (containing a range of links and case studies) and the local context

  1. ASC Self Assessment – January 2024 FINAL
  2. Appendix 1 The National Context
  3. Appendix 2 Our Financial Context
  4. Appendix 3 Our Demographic Profile
  5. Appendix 4 ASC Strategy 2023-2026 In public domain
  6. Appendix 5 The experience of people using our services 2023

Council and service structure

  1. Council Leadership Team Structure (as of 24 January 2024)
  2. Adult Social Care Structure Chart (Feb 2024) 

Adult Social Care governance, performance and transformation programme

  1. Adult Social Care Core Governance Arrangements
  2. My Life, My Future Transformation Programme Pack In public domain
  3. Adult Social Care Risk Register –  6 February 2024
  4. ASC CEO Performance Scorecard January 2024
  5. ASC Working Together Board – Terms Of Reference

Adult Social Care operations and practice quality

  1. Risk management in Adult Social Care
  2. ASC Financial Management and Decision Making – November 2023
  3. ASC Financial Decision Making – Practitioner Guidance Nov 2023
  4. Adult Social Care Practice Quality Framework
  5. Adult Social Care Practice Quality Audits Summary Feb 2024

Adult Social Care commissioning and quality

  1. ASC Market Position Statement FINAL DRAFT
  2. Somerset ASC Commissioning Strategy FINAL
  3. Market Sustainability Plan 2023 In public domain
  4. State of Somerset Care Market – February 2024
  5. ASC Contract Management Policy In public domain
  6. ASC Care Provider Quality Assurance Policy In public domain
  7. ASC Provider Failure/Closure Policy In public domain
  8. SOP_Somerset Model of Intermediate Care

Safeguarding Adults 

  1. Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report In public domain
  2. Safeguarding Adults Board Strategic Plan In public domain
  3. SSAB Performance & Quality Report Feb 2024

Carers 

  1. Carers Workshop Evaluation report [Final March 2024]
  2. Commitment to Carers FULL report [Final March 2024]
  3. Commitment to Carers SUMMARY report [Final March 2024]
  4. Somerset Carers Groups with supporting activity groups

Supporting evidence

Our organisation – Somerset Council

Our service – Adult Social Care

Our Public Health offer

Our Community offer (Prevention and Early Help)

ASC Operations

Commissioning, market shaping and care provider quality assurance

Practice Quality and assurance

Safeguarding Adults in Somerset

Adult Social Care workforce strategies

‘My Life, My Future’ – ASC Transformation Programme

Finance, Performance and Risk

Some example case studies, stories and videos