Adults and Health services in BwD rated ‘good’ by CQC

Adults and Health services at Blackburn with Darwen Council are ‘good’ – that’s the judgement of regulator the Care Quality Commission (CQC) following their inspection of the local authority.

In their report, the CQC praised the strong partnership working and culture of collaboration that exists between the Council, our residents and carers, our NHS organisations, Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) partners, and our local care providers.

They also praised the Council’s investment in and senior leaders’ prioritisation of Adult Social Care services. Inspectors said they found “a positive culture, with support for continuous professional development” in Blackburn with Darwen, with staff able to deliver tailored, person-centred care.

All of this was found to be contributing to positive outcomes for residents of the borough who use Adult Care services, and their carers.

The purpose of the CQC assessment is to understand the performance of local authorities, and to assure CQC and the Department of Health and Social Care about the quality of care in an area and consider whether any improvements may be required.  

As part of the assessment process, which started in November, the service was inspected using a range of methodologies concluding with an on-site visit to Blackburn with Darwen Council in April 2025.

The CQC team spoke to a number of residents to hear about their experiences of Adult Care in the borough, as well as talking to carers.

In addition, Inspectors also interviewed partners in the NHS and voluntary sector, as well as staff in departments across the Council.

The CQC assessment team highlighted a number of areas where the Council performs well, plus areas where improvements are needed.

Inspectors found that the Council was already aware of areas that could be strengthened and had developed plans to improve them. The Council is committed to continually improving its service and has already used the assessment to inform its business plans for the coming year.

Councillor Jackie Floyd, Executive Member for Adults Social Care and Health, said:

“I’m delighted with the CQC’s rating of our Adult Social Care services. It’s well deserved by all the dedicated teams that make up the directorate who work tirelessly everyday to support our residents to achieve positive outcomes.

“It is great to see that our partnerships and collaborative working arrangements have been recognised by the inspectors too.”

Councillor Damian Talbot, Executive Member for Housing and Public Health, commented:

“I am thrilled with this outcome which has also been achieved as a result of Adult Social Care being fully integrated with our Public Health and Housing Needs departments.

“It reflects the way we work together to do the best for our residents, and we look forward to building on this success.”

Mark Warren, Strategic Director of Adults and Health at Blackburn with Darwen Council, added:

“I’m really proud of what the teams have achieved by working together and putting our residents at the centre of everything we do. It is great to see this has been recognised within the inspection, and the dedication and hard work will continue as we constantly strive to be the best we can be.

“There’s always lots to be done, but the CQC report shows that we’re on the right path. I’m pleased that the inspectors said they saw ‘a culture of continuous learning that brings about improvements to service delivery’ – that’s something we will always aim for, to do better for residents.”

The full Blackburn with Darwen CQC inspection report can be viewed online. Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council: local authority assessment – Care Quality Commission

James Bullion, CQC’s Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care and Integrated Care, said:

“At our assessment of Blackburn with Darwen Council’s adult social care services, staff were supported by leaders who were visible, and were working well with partner organisations to provide person-centred support to residents across Blackburn with Darwen.

“The authority demonstrated a clear commitment to tackling inequalities, including the high levels of deprivation across Blackburn with Darwen. Senior leaders were committed to overcoming the challenges these people faced to help them build happier, healthier and safer lives.”

The CQC is inspecting 153 councils over a two-year period, from December 2023, on their performance in relation to its duties under the Care Act 2014.

More information about how the CQC inspects local authority Adult Social Care services.