The Adult Social Care and Communities Scrutiny Committee is scheduled to meet on Tuesday 12 May 2026. The meeting's agenda includes an update on the Care Quality Commission (CQC) Improvement Plan for Adult Social Care, a review of the Quarter 3 performance report for 2025/26, and an update on Adult Social Care operations. Additionally, the committee will receive an update on Public Health matters and review its work plan for the upcoming year.

Adult Social Care CQC Improvement Plan

A key item for discussion is the Adult Social Care CQC Improvement Plan. This report provides an update on the progress made in response to the CQC's Local Authority Assessment of Adult Social Care Services in Gloucestershire, which resulted in a Requires Improvement rating in January 2025. The plan focuses on improving outcomes, strengthening governance, and preparing the council for future CQC assessments. The report details progress in areas such as reducing waiting times for assessments and care allocation, enhancing the quality of practice, and improving safeguarding outcomes. It also outlines remaining priorities, including embedding consistent evidence of impact, completing the transition of delegated functions, and strengthening equity and co-production. Principal risks identified include capacity and demand volatility, partner dependencies, and pressures within the provider market.

Quarter 3 Performance Report 2025/26

The committee is also scheduled to review the Adult Social Care and Communities Performance Report for the third quarter of the 2025/26 financial year, covering the period from 1 October to 31 December 2025. This report will provide an overview of performance during this period, and members will have the opportunity to ask questions.

Adult Social Care Update

An update on matters relating to the delivery of Adult Social Care in Gloucestershire will be presented. This report includes information on the transformation of the Adult Social Care programme, with a specific focus on Technology Enabled Care (TEC) systems. The report details the progress of the TEC service, which has been delivered by Careium since September 2025, and highlights the ongoing digital switchover. It also covers the Adult Social Care Operations Celebration Event held on 24 April 2026, which recognised the impact of staff work and showcased innovation, including a virtual reality training programme for social work students. Furthermore, the update will provide information on the return of delegated functions from Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust (GHC) back to Gloucestershire County Council (GCC). This includes the planned return of Mental Health Social Work by 1 June 2026, Occupational Therapy by 1 August 2026, and Community Reablement and Mental Health Supported Accommodation by 1 September 2026. Joint working groups and programme governance are in place to ensure a safe and well-managed transition of these services. The report also includes suggestions for future agenda items for the committee, such as social care provision for adults of working age, prevention strategies, transitions from children's to adult social care, adult social care support for hospital discharge, and a further discussion on delegated functions.

Public Health Update

The committee will receive an update on Public Health matters and the delivery of health and wellbeing services in Gloucestershire. This report covers several key areas:

• Recommissioning of suicide bereavement service: A new service has been commissioned to support individuals and families affected by suicide bereavement, running from April 2026 to 2029. The service is provided by Rethink.
• Good Food Local Benchmarking: Gloucestershire achieved a score of 60% in a benchmarking exercise assessing food systems, with opportunities identified to strengthen community food initiatives.
• Launch of Gloucestershire's Food Map: A new online resource has been developed in partnership with Feeding Gloucestershire to help residents find community food support.
• School Food Standards Consultation: The government has launched a consultation on reforming school food standards, which will have implications for Gloucestershire's school catering contract.
• Weight Wise Pilots: The new adult weight management model is being piloted in four Primary Care Network (PCN) areas.
• Gambling Funding: Gloucestershire has received grant funding to establish a local gambling harms prevention programme over the next two years.
• Substance Use Funding 2026-2029: A paper will be presented to Cabinet requesting approval for the allocation of Public Health Grant funding to improve drug and alcohol treatment and recovery services.
• Director of Public Health Report 2025: The annual report, titled 'Home is where our health is', focuses on the significant impact of housing on health and wellbeing.

Work Plan Review

The committee will review its work plan for 2025-26. This will involve reviewing the committee's work over the past year, including any outstanding actions, and considering items for future agendas. The committee will also note the dates of future meetings and discuss potential topics for scrutiny, considering the reasons for and expected benefits of the committee's involvement. Suggestions for future agenda items include palliative end-of-life care, the hospital patient discharge position, and updates on various health and social care strategies.