Walsall Council has reaffirmed its commitment to improving adult social care services following the publication of a new report by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
The independent regulator assessed the council’s adult social care provision and issued an overall rating of “Requires Improvement”. The assessment, which took place in August 2025, reviewed how the council supports residents across a range of areas, including service delivery, safety, leadership and partnership working.
The CQC evaluation was based on feedback from people who use adult social care services, their families and carers, as well as providers, staff and other professionals. Inspectors also examined council policies, procedures and performance across nine quality statements.
Councillor Keir Pedley, Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care and Public Health at Walsall Council, said:
“ We are committed to providing our residents with the best possible adult social care services.
“We welcome this report from the CQC. Whilst we don’t recognise everything in the report and the resulting score of this assessment is disappointing, it highlights many areas of positive practice and performance across the service and provides us with valuable reassurance that our current areas of focus for improvement are the right ones.
“We take the results of this report very seriously, and I’d like to reassure our residents that we have a clear vision for change. An improvement action plan is already in place, and I’m confident the service will deliver improvements quickly and efficiently for those areas which need focus, as well as strengthening areas of good practice
“Our dedicated workforce remains our greatest asset, and we value their commitment, professionalism and compassion. We are committed to supporting, developing and investing in our workforce, and we will continue to build on our strengths, tackle challenges and drive continuous improvement in the outcomes we deliver for people who draw on our services.
“These are challenging times, and like other local authorities Walsall is under pressure due to rising demand for adult social care services. This is an important step in our journey of continuous improvement, and I am proud of the improvements we have already made since the assessment took place. I would like to thank all the staff, providers, partners and residents who took part in this CQC assessment and who are working with us to help us improve and fulfil our ambition to deliver the best possible services we possibly can for the borough. “
The council has confirmed that an improvement action plan is already in place, focusing on strengthening areas identified in the report while building on existing good practice.
Residents can read the full CQC assessment report here:
http://cqc.org.uk/care-services/local-authority-assessment-reports/walsall-0126
Further details are also available via the CQC press release:
https://cqc-newsroom.prgloo.com/news/embargoed-cqc-rates-walsall-councils-adult-social-care-provision-as-requires-improvement
For more information about adult social care services in Walsall, visit:
https://go.walsall.gov.uk/health-and-social-care