A new report published by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has rated Milton Keynes City Council’s adult social care services as some of the best in the country, describing services as “supportive, empowering and responsive”.
The assessment, which took place towards the end of last year, found that adult social care services in Milton Keynes were outstanding in several areas including staff training and development as well as the way the council works with partners. An overall rating of ‘Good’ and a score of 78% places Milton Keynes within the top ten local authorities for the quality of care provided.
In the past year, more than 20,000 vulnerable adults have received help from adult social care teams at the city council. This can range from regular support for residents with extremely complex needs to those who are leaving hospital but need extra help and sometimes equipment to settle back into their home and remain independent.
Inspectors looked at all areas of adult social care, including safeguarding, support for carers, community‑based care services and how well the council works with other organisations. They praised the council’s compassionate staff, noting a clear focus on prevention and wellbeing.
Residents using the council’s services shared positive experiences and praised staff for “going the extra mile”.
The report found strong partnerships between health, social care, housing, education and the voluntary sector. Through its work with the NHS and local hospital, the council is improving the experience for residents, including through a specialist team to reduce lengthy stays in hospital and a new Care Academy which boosts local skills to help people stay independent for longer.
Safeguarding arrangements were found to be strong, with more than 1,000 inter‑agency risk management meetings held in the past year.
“This is a really positive report and I’m incredibly proud of the people who work so hard every day to support adults and carers across Milton Keynes. The feedback from local people is especially important — it shows that our commitment to person‑centred, compassionate care is making a real difference. We’re going to continue to build on this strong foundation and keep improving services with our partners and communities.”
The CQC made a small number of recommendations for further development, including some simplification of written materials and ensuring underrepresented groups are fully included. The city council has already started to address these points.
You can read the full report from the CQC here: www.cqc.org.uk/care-services/local-authority-assessment-reports