The Adult Social Care, Health and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee met to discuss adult social care performance, workforce planning, and preventative measures. The committee was also scheduled to review its work programme for the 2025-26 municipal year.

Adult Social Care Performance

The committee was scheduled to review the quarterly performance of the council's Adult Social Care function. The report pack included performance updates, budgeting information, and demand forecasting.

The report identified four areas where performance was below expectations:

• Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards waiting list
• Therapy service waiting times
• Support for Carers
• Making Safeguarding Personal Outcomes

For Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards¹ (DoLS), the council was scheduled to present its action plan, which was developed following a peer review by the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS).

Given the current level of demand for Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) assessments, we are holding a higher number of individuals on our waiting list than we would ideally like. We are actively exploring all possible solutions to manage this effectively, taking a risk-based approach to prioritise cases and doing everything within our capacity to minimise delays.

For therapy waiting times, the council was scheduled to explain that it is exploring ways to improve performance, including the use of technology, self-serve options, and signposting to other services. The council was also scheduled to explain its Waiting Well policy, which involves risk-assessing and monitoring individuals on the waiting list.

For support for carers, the council was scheduled to explain that it has undertaken work to co-produce its Unpaid Carer Strategy, and that it has launched One-Stop Shops in each Local Area Partnership² (LAP) area.

For Making Safeguarding Personal³ (MSP), the council was scheduled to explain that it believes that improvements are needed in capturing the desired outcomes of individuals receiving support, but that this is primarily an inputting issue within the case management system.

The committee was also scheduled to review case audits and complaints. According to the report pack, a total of 281 practice audits were completed in Quarter 2 (July to September 2025). The audits highlighted strengths in legal compliance, person involvement, and timely completion of assessments, but shortfalls in feedback collection, advocacy consideration, and document sharing.

Adult Social Care Workforce Planning

The committee was scheduled to receive information on workforce planning in the council's Adult Social Care function. The report pack included a specific focus on workforce development and recruitment.

The report pack stated that effective workforce planning is essential because adult social care faces unique challenges, including an aging population, increasing complexity of care needs, and high staff turnover rates.

The council was scheduled to present information on its internal learning and development offer, which includes a new Learning and Development Policy for social work teams. The policy introduces a training matrix linked to staff profiles on the council's eLearning platform, iLearn. The policy also introduces the directorate's commitment to staff protected development time.

The council was also scheduled to present information on its ASYE[^5] programme, which has been designed to include a four-touchpoint model to ensure that Newly Qualified Social Worker's (NQSW's) are able to access the programme sooner and support their induction and practice at an earlier stage.

The council was scheduled to explain that all Adult Social Care departments face significant challenges in recruiting and retaining a skilled workforce. The council was scheduled to present information on its recruitment initiatives and achievements, including the introduction of Digital Right to Work Checks, targeted advertising, and centralised recruitment for hard-to-fill 'Wicked Roles'.

The council was also scheduled to present information on its recruitment challenges, including the fact that a significant proportion of offers fail to convert into starters due to issues such as unsatisfactory references or candidates accepting competing offers from other employers.

Introduction to Prevention

The committee was scheduled to receive a presentation from the Director of Public Health and the Director of Adult Social Care (DASS) to introduce the council's wider approach to Prevention.

Review of Committee Work Programme

The committee was scheduled to review and note its Work Programme for the 2025-26 municipal year.

The work programme included the following topics:

• Northamptonshire Integrated Care Board – overview of development and priorities
• Public Health – overview of key priorities, risks, and challenges
• Community Safety Partnership Annual Report
• Domestic Abuse Strategy
• Outcomes of the Care Quality Commission inspection of the Council's Adult Social Care function.
• Priorities and challenges relating to the delivery of Adult Social Care
• Community Funding Grants Programme
• Communication and Access to Services
• Health Inequalities
• Local Area Partnerships (LAPs)
• Support for young people with additional needs in the transition from children's social care to adult social care