7,000 have been waiting 6 months or more for care assessment

According to a recent report by the Association of Directors of Adults Social Services (ADASS), councils are facing an ‘avalanche of need’. The survey found that more than 7,000 have been waiting for more than 6 months for a care needs assessment.

ADASS warned that waits of this nature were putting older and disabled people at significant risk. “Whilst social work teams do their best to prioritise based on the information they have, it is inevitable that many people will deteriorate, become mentally or physically unwell, lose confidence, fall, or that unreported or concealed abuse or neglect will worsen,” said the survey report.

ADASS said the waiting times had reflected an “avalanche of need” directors were facing as a result of the Covid pandemic and the failure of resources to keep pace with demand.