Ealing Council is taking decisive action to reduce social care waiting lists, following a recent Care Quality Commission (CQC) report that identified the timeliness of assessments as an area needing improvement. The council aims to improve the ease with which people can access adult social care, further improve 10-day outcomes, and reduce call wait times through its 'front door transformation programme'.
The council's Health and Adult Social Services Scrutiny Panel met on Thursday, 10 July 2025, to discuss the progress of work addressing recommendations made in previous CQC and Local Government Association (LGA) inspection reports. The CQC had rated Ealing as 'requires improvement' for adult social care in the summer of 2024.
While the council expressed disappointment with the rating, noting that they did not believe it reflected the quality of services, inspectors had identified strengths, including effective partnership arrangements and safeguarding of vulnerable people. The report pack listed several areas for improvement, including:
- Accessibility and communication
- Timeliness of assessments
- Safeguarding
- Data analysis and performance monitoring
- Financial management
- Support for carers
- Service capacity
- Community and voluntary sector support
According to the Public Reports Pack, actions have already been taken to address these issues. A front door transformation programme has focused on ways of working to deliver the right outcome first time. Surge activity across first contact and occupational therapy has resulted in a 50% reduction in the longest waits and the elimination of the Police backlog.
Planned next steps include an improved online offer, occupational therapy process transformation, and developing a new workforce plan for 2026-2030. These actions are expected to lead to the elimination of simple equipment backlogs and an improved average wait time for assessments.
To improve safeguarding practices, the council is undertaking several specific actions:
- Joint children's and Adults sponsored MARAC conference
- Codifying of the safeguarding pathway in LBE
- Embedding safeguarding practice in all teams
- Changed process at the front door to better target safeguarding interventions by reducing over processing
- Working with safeguarding adults board partners to improve response to police referrals
- Implement new ways of performance measuring safeguarding activity
- Advocacy service presenting to staff groups
According to the CQC and LGA Inspection Reports - Update of Adult Services Workplan, the council has set ambitious targets for 2025/26. One key target is for the proportion of people who use services who receive direct payments to reach 10% for 2024/25. The council doubled the number of carers receiving direct payments and is enhancing the digital offer for assessment and information and advice. The council is also launching Carers one off payments.
The council aims to improve the percentage of reablement services that reduce the level of ongoing support needed.
