Care Inspectorate Wales concludes improvement check of Monmouthshire adult services
Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) has recently completed an improvement check of Monmouthshire County Council's adult services, following up on their Performance Evaluation Inspection (PEI) conducted in July 2022.
The inspection, which took place between 31 March and 2 April 2025, assessed the progress made in addressing previously identified areas for improvement.
Key strengths identified
- The council has successfully established a place-based approach and implemented an effective commissioning strategy that focuses on efficiency and provider support
- Availability of domiciliary support has significantly improved since 2022
- Development of a reablement pathway that provides support for all referrals, helping people maintain independence at home and facilitating timely hospital discharges
- Evidence shows this approach has reduced or mitigated the need for ongoing support.
Areas requiring further development
- Professional curiosity regarding risk identification and exploration requires improvement, with few records documenting risks and contingency plans
- The council needs to ensure supplementary training to enhance risk analysis approaches
- Staff engagement and communication about service developments showed mixed responses, with some valuing practice forums but wanting more frequent sessions
- Support for carers shows variable practice in acknowledging formal assessment rights, with few assessments featuring coproduced outcomes.
Inspectors have recommended that the council develops a clearer working model to promote strengths-based practice with greater co-production. They also advised providing clarity on support available for carers and establishing mechanisms to ensure carers' assessments are offered and completed promptly.
The council's leadership team has demonstrated awareness of staff concerns and has already implemented a communication strategy and improved training opportunities. CIW has encouraged leaders to maintain focus on staff engagement, strengthen training offers, and co-produce service development plans to ensure a shared vision.
The Improvement Check follows the statutory responsibilities outlined in the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 and helps determine how effectively local authorities support and sustain improvements for people and services.