Action plan on care to build on foundations for future

01 June 2026

An ambitious action plan to improve the way adult social care is delivered across North Northamptonshire will “build on strong foundations” and set out how services will be strengthened and enhanced for residents.

The report, which will be presented to the North Northamptonshire Council’s Executive on 9 June 2026, responds to the recently-published assessment by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) which rated the council as ‘Requires Improvement’, and outlines the significant progress already made alongside a clear roadmap for further improvements.

The independent CQC assessment, published in March 2026, recognised that the council has “strong foundations in place” and highlighted a wide range of positive developments across adult social care. These include a strong focus on person-centred, strengths-based practice, effective partnership working, and a robust approach to commissioning and quality assurance. 

Significant progress already underway

Since the assessment period concluded, the council has made measurable improvements across key services:

• Waiting times for assessments reduced by over 60 per cent since January 2025
• More consistent access to services across local areas
• Launch of a new Single Point of Access to make it easier for residents to get support
• Creation of a dedicated safeguarding adults’ team to strengthen protection and response
• New digital tools to increase frontline capacity so staff can spend more time supporting residents
• Over 1,100 nights of respite care delivered for unpaid carers in 2026 so far
• Establishment of the ‘Together for Care’ forum, giving people with lived experience a stronger voice in shaping services

Investment has also been made into improved communication and accessibility, including the rollout of ‘Easy Read’ formats and refreshed information and advice services.

The council said the improvement programme will focus on what matters most – including providing timely support, fair access, stronger support for carers, and better use of data to drive improvement. The council is also committed to ‘co-production’ – an approach which invites people from local communities with relevant experience to help shape services or policies.

We are pleased that the CQC has recognised the strong foundations we have built in North Northamptonshire. We’re also excited and proud that our improvement board will be co-chaired by an expert by experience who has direct experience of drawing on social care services. This builds on the significant improvements already delivered since the CQC assessment. This plan would bring together that progress with a clear and structured programme to ensure improvements are sustained and continue to deliver real benefits for people who rely on our services.Cllr Chris Kellett, Executive Member for Adults and Health Partnerships

To oversee delivery, the council will establish a new Adult Social Care Improvement Board, co-chaired by the Executive Member for Adults and Health Partnerships and an expert by experience. This approach places residents and service users at the heart of decision-making and reflects the council’s commitment to genuine co-production.

The council will submit the improvement plan to the Department of Health and Social Care by the end of June 2026 and will continue to work closely with partners, including the Local Government Association, voluntary and community sector organisations, and residents.