Bexley Council has been told it "requires improvement" in a new assessment of its adult social care services after hundreds were left waiting to receive their care reviews.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) hit the borough with a low ranking in response to its responsibilities under the Care Act 2014, which sets standards for adult social care and support.
The CQC’s assessment is part of its new statutory duty to evaluate how well councils meet their Care Act obligations.
This includes promoting the wellbeing and independence of disabled adults, older people and unpaid carers, and ensuring people have choice and control over the support they receive.
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Mary Cridge, director of adult social care at the CQC, said: "During our assessment of the London Borough of Bexley, we found a mixed picture of people’s experience accessing adult social care.
"We found a local authority with several strengths to build on, alongside some areas where improvement is needed to ensure people consistently receive high-quality care and support."
The CQC reviewed nine core areas across four themes, rating each on a scale of one to four, with one indicating significant shortfalls and four representing an exceptional standard.
Bexley scored threes—indicating a good standard—in areas such as assessing people’s needs, supporting healthier lives, partnership and communities, and learning and innovation.
However, it scored only twos in equity of experience, care provision and integration, safeguarding, governance, and safe care pathways.
Ms Cridge said: "People told us they were generally treated with dignity and respect. People had been involved as they wished in decisions about their care and support needs at a pace which suited them.
"People were able to access the local authority’s care and support services in a range of ways, including online routes and self-assessment options.
"Staff described having strong support and training, with a clear focus on quality assessment and care planning."
The report highlighted positive feedback about reablement services, which help people regain confidence and independence after hospital discharge.
Unpaid carers also reported feeling valued and involved in care decisions.
However, the CQC found that some people had not received copies of their care plans and were unclear about how their needs would be met.
Satisfaction with services remains below the national average, despite recent improvements.
Ms Cridge said: "We also found that direct payments were not always well understood, with some people unaware of the support available and some staff lacking confidence in supporting people to access and manage them."
The assessment found that Bexley’s care planning was person-centred and strengths-based, with staff regularly participating in supervision and reflective practice.
The council was praised for its effective partnerships with health and voluntary sector organisations, enabling more people to remain safely at home through equipment and adaptations.
A strong safeguarding framework was also noted, with staff valuing the input of people with lived experience.
However, the report found that some individuals were waiting too long for care reviews, with 353 overdue at the time of the assessment.
The council has since reduced this number to 281 as part of its improvement programme.
Communication was another area of concern, with some people not receiving information in an accessible format.
One individual who struggled with reading and writing said they had not received copies of their assessments or reviews, and information had not been explained in a way they could understand.
The council has since introduced measures to improve accessibility.
Ms Cridge said: "Leaders understood the areas that needed improvement and had already started work to address them, including reducing waiting times for reviews and improving accessibility.
"We look forward to returning to see the impact this work has for people in Bexley."
The full assessment will be published on the CQC website on Friday, September 4.
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