Trafford Adult Social Care rated 'Requires Improvement' by CQC

Trafford Council's Adult Social Care services have been rated ‘Requires Improvement' following an assessment by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

The assessment covers the council's statutory responsibilities for Adult Social Care, which supports thousands of Trafford residents including older people, adults with disabilities, people with mental health needs and unpaid carers.

Trafford Council said it "fully accepts" the findings and acknowledged that its services are "not yet where it wants or needs to be", while pointing to improvements it says have been made since the assessment process began more than a year ago.

The result is likely to be disappointing for residents and comes amid wider concerns over social care services in Trafford. Children's services at the council were recently again rated 'Inadequate', having first received that rating in 2019.

While the overall rating was ‘Requires Improvement’, the CQC did identify areas of strength. Inspectors highlighted Trafford’s partnership working and said there was an "inclusive and positive culture of continuous learning and improvement" within the authority, supported by new leadership and governance arrangements. The CQC also described Trafford's senior leadership team as "competent and passionate", saying clear improvements had been made since the appointment of a new Interim Director of Adult Social Care in January 2025.

However, the overall rating confirms that further improvement is still required across the council’s Adult Social Care responsibilities.

Trafford Council responded to the rating, saying a number of further measures have been introduced since the CQC inspection concluded. Mental health social care services have returned to direct council management and changes have been made to how residents initially access support. A new Adults Support and Prevention Hub is due to launch in September. The council also says Occupational Therapy waiting lists have fallen by 68 per cent over the past nine months, while 99 per cent of equipment is now delivered within seven days.

Councillor Jane Slater, Trafford Council's Executive Member for Healthy & Independent Lives, said: "We welcome the clarity provided by this assessment and recognise the areas where further improvement is needed. We have already seen considerable progress over the past year, but we know there is more to do.

"We have listened and learned from the feedback received, working closely with the Local Government Association and Partners in Care and Health to strengthen our services. Our improvement plan is now being embedded across Adult Social Care, supported by new senior leadership arrangements, better staff morale and higher resident satisfaction.

"The report acknowledges the changes made through our improvement programme, including strengthened governance and oversight. Work is already underway to address the areas identified and our focus remains on providing safe, timely and effective care, and delivering lasting improvement for Trafford residents and carers."

Satisfaction among people with learning disabilities remains at 94 per cent, with the council reporting that more people are being supported into employment and to live independently at home. Hospital discharge arrangements have also been reviewed, including a pilot at Wythenshawe Hospital, while further work is taking place through the Trafford Carers Strategy to shorten waits for carers’ assessments and improve access to respite support.

The council is also reviewing safeguarding and reablement services, alongside work to improve case recording, quality assurance and staff development.

Councillor Tom Ross, Leader of Trafford Council, said: "We accept the findings of this assessment and are clear that improvement is required in some areas of Adult Social Care. At the same time, it is important to recognise that this report reflects a service undergoing significant change, with much of the inspection activity taking place while improvements were already underway through our Improving Lives Every Day programme.

"The report recognises that Trafford Council was fostering a positive culture of continuous learning and improvement, working with partners to give people the best possible experience of accessing services. The report also acknowledged that leaders were aware of many of the challenges highlighted during the assessment and had plans and strategies in place to address them. We are encouraged that the Care Quality Commission also recognised the progress made since the appointment of our Interim Director of Adult Social Care.

"Since then, we have continued to make progress, reducing waiting times, strengthening support for residents and improving how services are delivered. We know where further improvement is needed, but we also recognise the strengths identified by the CQC that provide a strong foundation for the next phase of our improvement journey. We have confidence in the team driving this work and a clear improvement plan to ensure residents receive safe, timely and effective support. We will continue to be open about our progress and focused on delivering lasting improvements so that residents and carers feel supported, listened to and able to live well and independently."

A total of £1.32 million has been invested in the transformation of Adult Social Care, including workforce capacity and service improvements intended to increase access, reduce waiting times and strengthen support.

Trafford Council said it will continue to provide updates on its progress.

The CQC assessment relates specifically to the council’s statutory Adult Social Care responsibilities and is separate from the ratings given to individual care homes and other care providers in Trafford, many of which are independently rated Good or Outstanding by the CQC.