The Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames ‘Good’ for meeting adult social care access requirements.
Inspectors scored Kingston Council across nine areas, and scores ranged from one (significant shortfalls) to four(exceptional standard).
The borough achieved mainly scores of three, reflecting a good standard overall although some areas scored two, indicating that there was room for improvement.
CQC’s chief inspector of adult social care and integrated care James Bullion said: “At this assessment, we were pleased to see the good level of support being provided by the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames.
“They ensured people had access to positive, person-centred care, with a strong focus on promoting independence, choice, and dignity.”
The council was also commended for its proactive work with diverse communities, including gypsy, roma and traveller groups, refugees, Asian and black communities.
The authority worked with Kingston University to under the challenges these communities face embraced feedback to provide culturally appropriate meals and meaningful activities.
Inspectors also found effective use of assistive technology, positive staff morale, and well-developed safeguarding arrangements.
However, transitions from children to adult services were not always consistent, and some carers felt unclear about their entitlements.
Kingston Council is expanding respite provision and improving communication to address these concerns.
Waiting times for reassessments remain a challenge, the council has begun recruiting more staff and prioritising cases to reduce delays.
Overall, CQC described Kingston’s approach as positive and praised plans for further improvement.
Feature Image: South West Londoner
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