Islington's Adult Social Care services are exceeding expectations in helping residents regain independence, according to a recent report. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated Adult Social Care in Islington as 'Good', scoring 73/100, highlighting the council's strong understanding of the community’s needs and commitment to providing high-quality care. Staff were described as kind, dedicated and compassionate, conducting assessments that focus on individuals' strengths and abilities. The CQC also praised the integrated front door team and noted that equality, diversity and inclusion were embedded throughout Adult Social Care, with a commitment to co-production with service users and carers.

At a meeting of the Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee on Thursday 16 October 2025, councillors reviewed the Adult Social Care Q1 2025/26 Performance Report, which showed that 81% of residents who received reablement services required no further support. This figure surpasses the target of 78% and exceeds the London average, demonstrating the effectiveness of Islington's approach to promoting independence.

Reablement is a short-term support service designed to help people regain their independence after an illness or injury. The goal is to enable individuals to manage on their own for as long as possible, reducing their reliance on long-term care services. The reablement service has been modernized by increasing the use of technology, such as extending the contract for the CM2000 system until 2027, which allows staff to access their schedule of visits, view medication records and care plans, and provide feedback to the office. Reablement Management and the Co-ordination Team have improved access to the London Care Record and social care records to better understand residents' needs. The service is also trialling the Lilli system, which uses discrete sensors in people's homes to observe patterns and trends of everyday life and identify areas of risk and potential mitigations. These changes have improved efficiency and maximized enablers' productivity. Additionally, a review of the delivery model for Reablement was agreed as part of the 2025/26 budget setting, prioritizing more flexible ways of working and using technology and equipment to maximize the independence of residents.

The report also highlighted other positive outcomes in adult social care, including controlled new admissions to care homes and improvements in timely reviews for service users and support through Direct Payments. The target for new admissions to nursing or residential care homes (all ages) for Quarter 1 of 2025/26 was set at 48. In the first quarter, 47 people moved into care homes, which is slightly more than the same time last year (37 people), but still within the target of no more than 48 admissions. Every decision about moving someone into a care home is carefully reviewed by senior staff to make sure it's the best and least restrictive option for that person. The report states that there has been a significant improvement in the proportion of service users receiving timely reviews and those supported through Direct Payments . Safeguarding outcomes remain robust, with 98% of Section 42 enquiries resulting in risk reduction or removal, well above the target and last year's performance.

The committee also received a 12-month update on Transformation in Adult Social Care, which highlighted the positive impact of targeted improvements and the constructive approach of the Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee, contributing to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) rating of Good for Adult Social Care in Islington.

Key updates included modernisation of the reablement service, improved efficiency, and maximising enabler's productivity. The council has continued to work proactively to ensure that the voices of residents are heard and their views are considered when developing and delivering services across the health and social care system. A clear example of this is the development of the Islington Carers Strategy that was launched last summer. The Islington Carers Strategy was co-produced through a collaborative process that actively engaged residents, carers, and community organizations at every stage. Our proactive approach to co-producing with residents' has formed the foundations for developing the new All Age Autism Strategy. The 'Take Home and Settle' model, formally known as the 'seven day recovery' model, continues to support Islington residents to safely return home from hospital. It enables assessment in resident's homes, rather than hospital, and allows social care staff to more clearly understand residents' long-term care needs following a short period of recovery. Demand for the service is stable, with 80 people being supported to return home every month. The pilot was extended in May 2024, and in March 2025, ASC opted to adopt the delivery model permanently. This has been integrated with the home care contract, with care workers sourced from our homecare locality providers.

The Work Programme 2025/26 was also reviewed at the meeting, outlining the committee's agenda for the coming year. The Work Programme includes the following key priorities:

  • Moorfields Eye Hospital Annual Performance Update 2024/2025 (12 June 2025, 20 April 2026)
  • Public Health Performance Reports (Quarterly)
  • Selection of Scrutiny Review Topic (12 June 2025)
  • Accommodation Scrutiny Review Final Report (8 July 2025)
  • Healthwatch Annual Report and Work Programme (8 July 2025)
  • Scrutiny Review Approval of Scrutiny Initiation Document & Initial Presentation (8 July 2025)
  • North London NHS Foundation Trust Annual Performance Update (2 September 2025)
  • 12-month update on Transformation in Adult Social Care scrutiny review 22/23 (2 September 2025)
  • London Ambulance Service Annual Performance Update (16 October 2025)
  • Islington Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report (8 December 2025)
  • Whittington Hospital Performance update (3 February 2026)
  • Executive Member for Health and Care Annual Report (3 February 2026)
  • UCLH Annual Performance Update (12 March 2026)
  • Scrutiny Review Draft Recommendations (12 March 2026)
  • Scrutiny Review Approval of Final Report (20 April 2026)