Wandsworth supports more adults in residential or nursing care than any other local authority in the country, according to Department of Health (DoH) figures released this week.

The DoH is now suggesting an urgent investigation into the situation, but Wandsworth Council says the figures are misleading as they include high numbers of people placed this year into short-term rehabilitation as part of a government initiative.

The figures form one of 49 performance indicators compiled by the DoH as part of a national survey of social services for local councils.

Overall, Wandsworth generally performs well in most of the 49 indicators, falling down in just 11 categories where the DoH says questions need to be asked abut performance'.

The DoH is concerned Wandsworth may be placing too many people in care, when they might be better suited to living at home and receiving community based support.

The council says as an inner London borough, Wandsworth performs well. It points to its DoH five-star rating for helping high numbers of drug abusers, and the fact it comes top out of other inner London boroughs for giving home care support to over-18s.

Wandsworth also appeared to score badly in the percentage of children in care gaining one GCSE. The council says the problem is that the figures do not account for children with very severe disabilities or who may have been in care for a very short time although this is true for all local authorities.

At a question and answer session during last week's full council meeting, council leader Councillor Edward Lister said: "Wandsworth scores well on Department of Health and Audit Commission indicators, although it should be pointed out that the council does not accept that some are useful measures of good performance.

"For example, the measure of residential care placements per thousand at 75 per cent is not a useful indicator on its own. A high ranking could mean an authority is neglecting to develop the alternative use of high-intensity domiciliary care packages instead.

"On the other hand, a low ranking could mean the authority is not providing sufficient residential care placements to avoid bed blocking' in local hospitals."

November 6, 2001 16:30