Prized three stars for Adult Social Services

5.52.51pm GMT Fri 7th Dec 2007

Services for some of the borough's most vulnerable adults have been awarded a top accolade after a rigorous assessment by Government inspectors.

The highest "three-star" rating has been achieved for the first time for Adult Social Care Services. The star rating has been given by the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) after a detailed and thorough examination of the adult social care services directly provided or commissioned by Richmond Council. They concluded that services for people with disabilities, older people, people with mental health problems, and carers merited the highest rating with excellent prospects for further improvement. The CSCI highlighted particular strengths including joint working with health partners and voluntary organisations. Engagement with users and carers, and giving people more choice and control were included among other highlights in the CSCI report.

Richmond Council's Cabinet Member for Adult Services, Health and Housing, Cllr Denise Carr, said: "Some of the most vulnerable people in the community rely on these services and we are determined to ensure they are as good, responsive and effective as possible. Winning the top three-star rating for the first time is excellent news for residents and also welcome recognition of the hard work and commitment of both managers and staff. It is a feather in our cap. We won't rest on our laurels and aim to raise standards even higher in the future and also tackle any areas where improvement is needed."