New data to make councils answerable for social care services

Local authorities across the country are being given a share of £11.8m by the Department of Health as the way data collected on social care shifts to focus on results.
The money is to help councils deal with additional burdens they are set to face as the government overhauls how care and support is measured.

The move is expected to improve social care services as statistics shift to focus on the results and performance.

Examples of changes include data being collected on safeguarding instead of the current abuse of vulnerable adults collection. New data on staff qualifications will be collected. And the way social care activity and finance data is collected will be replaced.

The government claimed that new data would help people hold councils to account and make authorities answerable to local people for the quality of local care and support.

Care and support minister Norman Lamb said: “The data we currently collect from local authorities about adult social care is outdated has not kept pace with the transformation into the new care and support system.

“The new data will help us to see how each council is performing in delivering better results for people in local communities who use care.

“This will give councils the information they need to deliver care and support that is integrated, personalised and responsive.”