Performance in 2024/25

Adult social care demand and performance 2023/2024

Continued improvements and developments were made to the operational performance reporting during 2024-25. With reporting now well established within the appropriate governance routes and core areas of service performance routinely reported to the Council and Trust Board. Attention has been focussed on incorporating more key areas of service delivery into performance reporting.  Work across 2024-25 has included: 

• the roll out of referral data into the performance report, giving service leads more insight into cases flowing into ASC and supplementing existing front end waiting list reports
• the inclusion of occupational therapy waiting lists, showing rolling 12-month totals by priority, as well as length of wait data
• the inclusion of mental health service waiting list data for both Adult Mental Health Social Care (working aged adults) and OPMH (65+) teams
• the inclusion of FAB (Financial Assessments and Benefits) team waiting list data
• further development of review reporting, showing the rate of reviews being completed by duration since the last assessment, which provides service leads with greater insight into the rate at which reviews are getting completed
• client attrition reporting, giving improved insight into the rate at which new clients enter, and current clients leave the ASC system, which supplements existing data on the bottom-line number of clients supported at any one time
• the inclusion of a top-level balanced scorecard, providing a quick view picture of month-on-month changes in performance across all reported service areas

ASC operational performance reporting is being continuously improved to provide ever greater insight for service leads and executives into how services across ASC are performing and 2025-26 will see further developments being implemented to ensure improvement trajectories are set against national benchmarking data.  

Performance at glance

The number of requests for support (new people drawing on care and support) increased in 2024-25, from 2,450 to 2,584 (+5.5%) however, fewer requests resulted in long term social care support, with this dropping slightly from 572 in 2023-24 to 561 (-1.9%).  Instead, there was a marked increase in new requests leading to other support (+9.2%), such as short-term care, reablement, health funded support and referrals for Technology Enhanced Care and equipment.  This is likely due to growing awareness of alternative and more suitable support away from conventional ASC services.  There was also an increase in the number of new requests leading to no support (+2.4%).

The number of people with identified mental health needs who were supported by services again saw a notable increase in 2024-25 on the previous year (+7.6%).  This followed a similar increase in 2023-24 of +6.9%. 

The number of carers on the carers’ register continues to increase, with 2024-25 seeing a +6.9% increase on 2023-24.

The number of safeguarding concerns raised saw a significant decrease in 2024-25 of -12.4%.  The 2024-25 total dropped from 1,180 the previous year to 1,034.

ASC in Torbay supports thousands of residents to live independently, stay safe, and enjoy the best possible quality of life. During the past year the service has not only supported more people but also continued to improve how it monitors and manages care, making sure services are working well and meeting local needs.

What’s new? – better information for better services

In 2024/25, we made real progress in how we understand and improve our services:

• We now track more types of support, like occupational therapy and mental health services, helping us better manage waiting lists and respond faster.
• We’ve added new reporting tools that show how many people are entering and leaving the care system. This helps us plan better and keep support sustainable.
• A new scorecard gives a quick monthly snapshot of how we’re doing across all service areas.

These changes mean local care leaders can act more quickly to improve services and plan for the future more effectively.

Who did we support in 2024/25?

• 3,740 adults received long-term care (an increase of 4.0% on the previous year) 65% were aged 65 or older
• 2,736 people were still receiving ongoing long-term care at the end of the year (up 4.5%)

We also helped in many other ways:

• 2,584 new requests for support were made (up 5.5%)
  
  
• 22% led to long-term care
• 62% led to short-term or alternative support (like equipment or health-funded care)
• 16% required no further help, for example, some people arranged their own care or were supported to find an alternative.

This shift shows that more people are being supported through quicker, more flexible services that may avoid the need for ongoing care.

Supporting carers and mental health

Carers continue to play a vital role:

• 5,764 carers are now on the local register – a 6.9% rise from last year
• 1,546 carers were assessed or reviewed (-2.7%)
• 733 carers received direct payments to manage support themselves (-2.0%)

Mental health needs are also increasing:

• 916 people with mental health issues received support (+7.6%)
• This follows a similar rise last year, showing a continuing trend in need

Other key services

• 2,141 people received help at home – a 6.3% increase, helping more people stay independent
• 1,104 people were in residential care – up 4.4%
• 500 people used direct payments for their own care – slightly down from last year

What does it all mean? In 2024/25, more people asked for help – and more received flexible, tailored support that met their needs without always requiring long-term care. That’s a sign that early support options like reablement, equipment, and tech-based care are working well.

We also saw growing demand for mental health services and continued growth in the number of carers. These areas will remain a key focus as we move forward.

Looking ahead

We’re committed to continuing this progress in 2025/26. Our goals include:

• Improving support for unpaid carers
• Making it easier for people to manage their own care through direct payments
• Keeping a close eye on safeguarding trends to ensure people are protected
• Using better data to make quicker, more informed decisions

Key service areas:

• Mental health: 916 people supported (+7.6%) reflects growing demand, echoing wider public mental health trends. Sustained year-on-year growth signals a need for strategic workforce and commissioning planning.
• Home care: 2,141 supported (+6.3%) reflects an effective community-based support model.
• Residential care: Slight increases in both learning disabilities and older adults’ placements.  Alternatives to residential care are being progressed alongside council commissioning colleagues
• Direct payments: The decrease from 517 to 500 (-3.3%) is disappointing. Efforts are underway to embed direct payments more effectively into practice, making them more accessible and user-friendly for both individuals who draw on care and support and the staff who assist them, in order to encourage greater uptake.

Quality analysis and Strategic implications

The overall performance trajectory in 2024/25 reflects a maturing, data-driven approach to quality assurance and continuous improvement:

• Proactive diversification: The shift from long-term care to earlier, alternative interventions is aligned with national strategic direction and person-centred outcomes.
• Performance intelligence: Enhancements in reporting enable earlier identification of emerging pressures and ensure more agile, informed leadership responses.
• Sustainability and demand management: Despite a year-on-year increase in demand, the system has responded with proportionate increases in service provision, suggesting resilience, but also a need to monitor capacity closely.

2024/25 has been a year of purposeful enhancement in ASC performance management, grounded in better data, broader scope, and clearer insights. These improvements provide a robust platform to further elevate service quality, improve user outcomes, and support strategic planning into 2025/26 and beyond.

The Adult Social Care Survey 2024 demonstrated several positive outcomes, reflecting the dedication of staff and the overall quality of care services provided across Torbay and South Devon.

Key highlights include a consistently high level of satisfaction among people who draw on care and support:

• 88% of people who completed the standard questionnaire were satisfied with the care and support services they receive. This compares to 88% in 2023.
• 98% of people who completed the Easy Read version thought that the way staff help them is ok or better (96% in 2023).
• 72% of people feel as safe as they want (68% in 2023) and 22% feel adequately safe, but not as safe they would like (26%). 5% feel less than adequately safe (5%) and 2% do not feel safe at all (1%).
• 85% of those of who completed the standard survey rated their quality of life as alright or better (84% in 2023).

The findings also reflect the success of early engagement strategies, with 75% of responses received following the initial round of letters, indicating an effective approach to outreach and communication. These achievements re-affirm the positive impact of ongoing efforts to support independence, dignity, and satisfaction among those who rely on social care services.

The Healthwatch report on unpaid carers reveals several accomplishments that highlight the commitment to supporting unpaid carers across Devon, Plymouth, and Torbay.

From the Healthwatch report, collaboration with carers led to important insights. Carers' feedback helped develop co-designed surveys and guided conversations, reflecting a shared dedication to understanding their needs. Around half (53%) of Torbay respondents said they do know where to go for support, with the most common responses being carers services, social services and the GP, highlighting effective awareness-building efforts. Additionally, many carers reported using beneficial coping strategies, such as time outdoors and support from friends, showing the effectiveness of resilience-building initiatives.

These achievements underline a consistent focus on maintaining user satisfaction, improving accessibility, and ensuring carers and service users are supported through thoughtful policies and practices.