A backlog of deprivation of liberty cases is among the challenges facing Worcestershire’s adult social care services, councillors have been told.
A report to Worcestershire County Council’s adult care and wellbeing overview and scrutiny panel said the authority received 4,514 Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) authorisation requests during the past year, with between 355 and 455 new applications arriving each month.
The council said a backlog remains and is being managed using a risk-based approach, while a dedicated two-year improvement programme continues.
The update follows a Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection which rated Worcestershire’s adult social care services as Good overall in May this year.
While the watchdog praised safeguarding, leadership and partnership working, the council has drawn up a 61-action improvement plan to address areas identified for further development.
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Officers say progress has been positive, with no actions currently flagged as requiring attention.
Work is also under way to review local DoLS arrangements following a recent Supreme Court judgment and updated national guidance, alongside efforts to improve oversight of waiting lists and demand pressures.
