Action plan to address CQC Assurance findings

 

Domain

Quality statement

CQC: What they said (exact words)

Lead (accountable)

Lead
(action)

Governance

Progress

Domain 1: Working with people

Assessing needs

At the time of our assessment, the local authority was actively working to improve timeliness in assessments, care planning and reviews, having identified this as a key area for development.

Karen Gullon, Assistant Director and Principal Social Worker

Karen Gullon, Assistant Director and Principal Social Worker

Confident and Consistent Practice Board (CCPB) and Health and Adult Services Leadership Team (HASLT)

Continued delivery of Waiting Well actions; Intermediate Care team development strengthening timely flow; OTA posts made permanent, increasing throughout.

Domain 1: Working with people

Assessing needs

Data provided by the local authority showed at the end of April 2025, 502 people were waiting for a Care Act assessment. The median waiting time was 41 days… In 2024/25, 620 care needs assessments were completed on average each month.

Karen Gullon, Assistant Director and Principal Social Worker

Karen Gullon, Assistant Director and Principal Social Worker

CCPB and HASLT

As above

Domain 1: Working with people

Assessing needs

People told us they had not always received copies of their completed assessments, and they were not always notified… that they were entitled to receive a copy. They shared that if they had known this… they would have liked a copy.

Karen Gullon, Assistant Director and Principal Social Worker

Karen Gullon, Assistant Director and Principal Social Worker

CCPB

As above

Domain 1: Working with people

Assessing needs

Leaders recognised support for unpaid carers could be improved further.

Kate Allanson, Head of Prevention and Principal Occupational Therapist

Kate Allanson, Head of Prevention and Principal Occupational Therapist

Through Project Board and Ambition Board

Carers improvement area overseen through HASLT

Exploring the development of a NY Carers board

Carers work progressed sufficiently to remove from key improvement list; oversight transferring to Ambition Boards.

Domain 1: Working with people

Assessing needs

The commissioned advocacy provider told us they had not been able to provide non-statutory advocacy since December 2023… Leaders told us a full-service review was being undertaken during 2025/26…

Abigail Barron, Corporate Director / Assistant Director Service Development

Jo Waldmeyer, Head of Market Development

ASCLT and Adult Joint Planning and Commissioning Group

Full-service review completed; new contract procured
Recommendation to close this action.

Domain 1: Working with people

Supporting people to live healthier lives

…Uptake of direct payments was not very high in North Yorkshire. Data from Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework 2024 showed 19.73% of people received direct payments. This was worse than the England average of 25.48%

Abigail Barron, Corporate Director / Assistant Director Service Development

Jonny Prince, Head of Operations

ASCLT/HASLT

Remains a key improvement area.

Domain 1: Working with people

Supporting people to live healthier lives

In 2024/25, the local authority renewed its focus on delivering reablement as a first option… Only 1.03% of people aged over 65 received reablement/rehabilitation services after discharge from hospital (England 3.00%).

Chris Watson, Assistant Director Adult Social Care

Josh Lumb, Head of Intermediate Care

ASCLT/HASLT

Strengthened ‘reablement first’ approach; improved pathway.

Domain 1: Working with people

Equity in experience & outcomes

Transport challenges remained a key issue in rural areas… targeted work with GRTS and displaced populations.

Abigail Barron, Corporate Director / Assistant Director Service Development

Angela Crossland, Head of Healthier Lives Community and Economy

Health & Well-Being Board

HAS Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Steering Group

Ethnic minority dataset; GRT / rural HNAs; LGBTQ+ co-production; outreach to migrant communities.

Domain 1: Working with people

Equity in experience & outcomes

Limited availability in some areas, such as Whitby, reduced options…

Abigail Barron, Corporate Director / Assistant Director Service Development

Jo Waldmeyer, Head of Market Development

ASCLT / HASLT

Market Development Board

Market testing is underway to progress Extra Care in Whitby and Malton, supporting the development of sustainable local home‑based options and increasing Home First opportunities

Domain 1: Working with people

Equity in experience & outcomes

Digital exclusion and rural transport challenged
ONS data confirmed NY performed below average on indicators related to transport and broadband and poor access to transport remained a significant barrier for many residents.

Abigail Barron, Corporate Director / Assistant Director Service Development

Mike Rudd, Head of Supported Housing

CRM Board

Action planning is underway to improve access for under‑served communities, informed by the HWNY ethnic minority report, Gypsy Roma Traveller Health Needs Assessment and Rural Health Needs Assessment. Outreach and co‑production work continues with LGBTQ+ groups, Community First Yorkshire and the Swift project to support improved access for migrant communities.

Domain 2: Providing support

Care provision, integration and continuity

Issues remained around access to mental health beds and home care in rural areas, though pilot schemes were in place to address this.

Abigail Barron, Corporate Director / Assistant Director Service Development

Jo Waldmeyer, Head of Market Development

ASCLT/HASLT

Market Development Board

Care & Support Hub Pre-planning consultation underway for the identified sites in Harrogate and Scarborough

Domain 2: Providing support

Partnerships and Communities

System leaders had agreed to establish a Section 75 Joint Committee, known as the ‘North Yorkshire Health Collaborative’, due to commence in July 2025… a single operating model… early priorities included prevention.

Louise Wallace, Director of Public Health

Naomi Smith, Head of Health Improvement

Health and Wellbeing Board

NY Health Collaborative Ambitious for Health Programme development of its 3 priorities 
1) Prevention Plus funding secured £3.6m over 3 years for test and learn 
2) Intermediate care procurement sign off
3) Equipment contract procurement preparations  

Domain 3: Ensuring safety

Safeguarding

Some partners confirmed they were informed of outcomes when required for safety, however others reported delays and said they had to chase responses, which sometimes delayed their ability to close cases.  Some partners and providers were frustrated with some aspects of safeguarding processes. They reported difficulties with communication, including not always receiving outcomes to referrals they had made.

Karen Gullon, Assistant Director and Principal Social Worker

Gavin Swankie, Head of Adults

CCPB
North Yorkshire Safeguarding Adults Board (NYSAB)

Safeguarding Feedback – meetings coordinated with partners