Warning to the Disabled and Vulnerable...Keep Away From Bedfordshire

Sadly, some of us have no choice!

http://www.lutontoday.co.UK/545/Bottom-of-the-pile-for.4761833.jp

Published Date:
04 December 2008
By Paul Fisher

Bedfordshire County Council is one of the worst providers of social care for adults in England, according to a new government report.

County Hall was one of 19 English authorities to be given one star by the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI), and was one of just four where 'capacity to improve' was graded 'uncertain'.

The report, published last Thursday, classified one-star councils as 'needing to improve in all areas to deliver good outcomes for people using social care'.

Coun Peter Hollick, county council portfolio holder for community services, said: "We have reservations about this judgement and the way in which the conclusions were made.

"Bedfordshire County Council has improved its performance every year for the past three years. This rating does not reflect all the good work the council and its staff is doing to deliver good services."

Out of the 150 English councils surveyed by the CSCI, Bedfordshire was judged to be equal bottom of the adult social care league table with Cornwall, Surrey and York.

For the past two years Bedfordshire has received two out of a maximum three stars from the CSCI, and has been judged as having promising capacity to improve.

Coun Hollick added: "I am concerned that CSCI may have taken a pessimistic view of the impact of local government review in their judgements this year, which are, ironically, the last they will deliver before they themselves are abolished.

"Services will be delivered by two new unitary councils from April next year, and so, if this is the context, it may not seem surprising that there is a judgment of 'uncertain prospects' for improvement.

"However, I want to emphasise that this judgement casts no reflection on the capacity of the new councils. We are confident that both of them will make social care a priority and will deliver high quality services."

A spokesman for the council said many of the weaknesses identified in the inspection had already been substantially rectified, and the report did not give sufficient credit to achievements.

Bedfordshire's neighbouring counties, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Cambridgeshire, were all awarded two stars or more. Luton and Northamptonshire were given one star, but were deemed to be improving.