The Community & Adult Services Scrutiny Committee met on Monday 15 June 2026 to discuss an update on Independent Living and Community Social Care services. The committee received a detailed presentation on the council's approach to supporting residents to live independently, focusing on prevention, early intervention, and reablement.

Independent Living and Community Social Care Services

The committee received a comprehensive update on the council's Independent Living and Community Social Care services, with a focus on how these services are evolving to meet the changing needs of Cardiff's population. Councillor Mackey, Cabinet Member for Adult Services and Public Health, introduced the discussion by highlighting the need for services to adapt as the population ages and the demand for support increases.

The presentation, delivered by Claire Gilhooly, Independent Living Support Service Manager, and Dawn Harries, Operational Manager for Reablement Services, outlined a multi-stage approach to care. This begins with Stage 1: Prevention First at the Front Door, where the First Point of Contact and Wellbeing Visiting Team engage with residents through what matters conversations. This stage aims to resolve needs through information, advice, and assistance (IAA), with a reported 56% of wellbeing assessments resulting in no need for formal care. Practical support offered at this stage includes money and debt advice, benefits health checks, and the prescription of low-level equipment and technology.

Stage 2 involves a more in-depth functional and care assessment led by Occupational Therapists, operating under trusted assessor principles. This stage focuses on maximising independence through alternative solutions and, if necessary, small care packages. The presentation highlighted that 33% of people referred to Occupational Therapy at this stage did not require long-term care. The trusted assessor model was praised for preventing duplication and enabling social workers to focus on more complex cases.

Stage 3 addresses the most complex cases, managed by the social work teams. These interventions are only offered once all other options have been explored and can include support for complex needs related to cognition, safeguarding, mental capacity, and legal issues.

A significant portion of the discussion focused on the Integrated Discharge Hub and efforts to improve hospital discharge pathways. The council is consistently below the Welsh average for pathways of care delays, with a 30% reduction in Delayed Transfer of Care days in the last year. The Discharge to Recover and Assess (D2RA) pathway is a key focus, aiming to have two-thirds of discharges assessed in the community rather than in hospital.

The Community Resource Team (CRT) was highlighted for its strength-based care focused on reablement and citizen empowerment. The CRT's reablement bridging service provides short-term support to bridge gaps in care provision, with 25% of those receiving this service being fully reabled and not requiring long-term care.

The committee also heard about the Reablement First approach being piloted with commissioned domiciliary care providers, aiming to promote independence and embed reablement principles across commissioned services.

Developments in Technology, Equipment, and Adaptations were also presented. Technology Enabled Care (TEC) is expanding, with increased orders for TEC devices and installations of LED lights to support safety. The Disabled Facilities Service continues to deliver a high volume of adaptation works, and the Joint Equipment Store plays a critical role in providing community equipment.

The presentation concluded with an overview of What's Next , including the development of a Rapid Response Team to provide solution-focused support at the front door, the introduction of Locality Care Coordinators to act as a single point of contact, and a focus on developing robust Care Planning and strengthening Hospital to Home pathways.

During the question and answer session, councillors raised concerns and sought clarification on various aspects of the service. Councillor Lent specifically inquired about the ability to get people off the floor after a fall and the measures in place to prevent falls. It was explained that telecare staff can assist in 90% of cases, with escalation to an ambulance for the remaining 10% where injury requires professional medical assessment. Preventative measures include strength and balance exercises, home environment assessments, and medication management.

Questions were also raised about the qualifications of trusted assessors, the progress of the rapid response team, and how individuals who do not require formal care packages are monitored to prevent them from presenting in crisis later. The council's approach to digitally excluded individuals and those without family support was also discussed, with an emphasis on community partnerships and the use of accessible communication methods.

Councillor Lewis requested further details on how Cardiff's discharge pathway delays compare to the Welsh average, and the committee was informed that this information would be provided. The financial implications of increasing demand and the strategies for managing budgets, particularly concerning home adaptations, were also discussed. The committee was assured that efforts are being made to improve efficiency and reduce costs through early intervention and the creative use of resources.

The committee concluded by agreeing to pass on their observations and comments to the relevant Cabinet Member. The next meeting was scheduled for 6 July 2026.