Dr Rhidian Hughes, Chief Executive of the Voluntary Organisations Disability Group (VODG) responds to the CQC’s report on emerging themes from local authority assessments.
’The CQC's report on emerging themes from its local authority assessments recognises the tough realities of adult social care today. It shines a light on the uncomfortable truth that disabled people's experience of support still depends too much on where they live.
'The report shows that strong leadership, meaningful co-production and effective commissioning can make a real difference to people's lives and that high-quality, person-centred support is achievable. However, it also makes clear the variation that exists across the country - from transitions to adulthood, to carer support, to the way services are commissioned. Disabled people should not face a postcode lottery in access to care, support or opportunities to live independently simply because they live in a different local authority area.
'Disabled people must be genuine partners in designing, commissioning and improving services, not simply consulted once decisions have already been made. Where people with lived experience help shape services, the outcomes are better, not only for individuals, but for all our local communities.
‘Too often, commissioning is driven by short-term financial pressures that ration rather than enable long-term outcomes for all. The best commissioning recognises the value of lived experience and the wider voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) sector as trusted partners that bring specialist expertise, deep community connections and preventative support. These partnerships need to be built on collaboration and sustainable investment, not the expectation that charities will continually do more with less.
'As Government considers the future of adult social care, this report offers a clear message. Reform must be about more than funding alone. It must establish greater consistency in what disabled people, carers and families can expect wherever they live, strengthen co-production as the foundation of decision-making, and support commissioning that values quality, prevention and partnership alongside cost. Disabled people deserve a system that delivers on those principles in every community, not just the best-performing ones.'