An Edinburgh councillor has cited workforce challenges and the need for urgent investment in response to a damning report by the Care Inspectorate.

The report found structural weaknesses in the planning and delivery of services in the health, social work and the social care system which had resulted in “too many people and carers not receiving services at the right time or place”.

Kevin Mitchell, Care Inspectorate executive director of scrutiny and assurance, said: “Inspectors found significant areas for improvement in adult social work and social care services in the City of Edinburgh. Prioritised actions will be required to ensure the needs of people and carers are met, and their wellbeing improved, more consistently. The Care Inspectorate will discuss with the partnership the scale and nature of the improvements required and how the partnership intends to make the necessary improvements.” 

The report details a number of areas of concern with services, including: significant weaknesses in the design, structure, implementation and oversight of key processes, including the assessment of people’s needs and in their case management; and long standing significant delays in discharging people from hospital, people waiting for assessment of their care needs, while noting meeting vulnerable peoples’ unmet needs had recently begun to improve.

The Inspectorate noted staff were working hard to deliver services “but were under considerable pressure and sometimes overwhelmed”.

Acknowledging the report’s findings, councillor Tim Pogson, chair of Edinburgh Integration Joint Board, said: “Our workforce deficit remain one of our biggest challenges, as does the need to address our partnership structures and governance, and we’ve long highlighted the need for urgent investment into our shared systems and processes. This is, of course, against a backdrop of ever-increasing financial pressures and without further support from our partners, including the Scottish government, this will inevitably result in yet more difficult decisions. We desperately need further investment and I’ll make this point to the minister when I meet him in the coming weeks.

“That said, we remain absolutely committed to driving forward the changes we need to make and work is already underway. This includes the recent appointment of a principal social work officer and the introduction of a strategic Inspection Oversight Group. This group will oversee and approve inspection improvement plans, ensuring actions are focussed on outcomes to deliver a better service to those receiving our care, their carers, our colleagues and our partners.

“We’ll continue to report back on progress against these plans in the coming weeks and months.”

Social care minister Kevin Stewart said: “I am deeply concerned at the findings in this report and will be urgently considering what action will be required within Edinburgh to ensure that adults at risk are consistently safe, supported, and protected.

“It is extremely worrying that the inspection has identified insufficient strategic leadership and management oversight of key processes, meeting legislative requirements, policies, procedures and guidance and to ensure sufficient capacity and capability to deliver safe and effective services for vulnerable people.

“To learn that Edinburgh partnership’s approach to early intervention and prevention were uncoordinated and inconsistent that self-directed support had not been implemented effectively and that there was insufficient support for unpaid carers is all of great concern.

“The Scottish government continues to engage with Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership and has provided support in a number of areas including funding for pay uplifts for adult social care staff in commissioned services and additional funding for Covid-19 pressures.

“I will be meeting City of Edinburgh Council and Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership to urgently understand how they plan to address the significant failings identified in this report.”