Help shape the future of adult social care
Adult social care in County Durham plays a vital role in supporting some of the most vulnerable people in our communities.
From helping people live independently in their own homes, wherever possible preventing or delaying them from becoming dependent on care services, to providing support with daily activities and access to community services.
A new strategy for adult social care
We’re creating a new strategy for adult social care, that will guide how we deliver services in the future. This strategy will bring together our current work and set a clear direction for how we can improve outcomes and support better lives for adults with care and support needs and their families and carers.
Whether you have direct experience with adult social care or not, your views are important. We want to understand what matters most to you, what would you want from our services in the future, what do you think of our current services, and how we can do better.
Our vision
Our vision is simple but powerful:
'Ensuring adults and their carers receive the care and support they need, when they need it, to support them to live the lives they want'.
Our draft priorities
In consideration of our statutory (legal) duties and the underlining principles of The Care Act (2014), as well as our own values and principles, we have developed draft priorities that will drive the strategy which are:
- Prevention and independence: Helping people stay independent and connected in their communities for as long as possible.
- Care and support: Providing high-quality, personalised care that keeps people safe and supports their choices.
- Supporting people who look after others: Recognising and supporting the vital role of carers in a way that works for them.
The deadline for comments is 23.59hrs on 6 July 2025.
Email qualityassurancedevelopmentandlearningadults@durham.gov.uk if you would like this information in an alternative format and/or require a paper version of the survey.
Have your say
We invite everyone, including residents, carers, service users, professionals, partners, staff and community groups to take part in our consultation.
In talking specifically with people who have direct contact with adult care and support, we will develop a strategy that will reflect and positively promote, a better understanding of people’s experiences. However, feedback from a range of people, including those who do not have experience of adult social care, is also important.
Your feedback will help us to ensure that people who use our services and our wider communities have a voice in the future delivery of adult social care services.
Key areas of feedback and views to support the development of the strategy include:
- Our vision: Does our current vision fit with your beliefs and views of what our Adult Social Care Strategy should aspire to achieve? Is there anything missing from our current vision?
- Our draft priorities: Do our priorities align to your views of what we should be focusing on? Are there areas you think are missing?
- Perceptions of adult social care in County Durham: Do people view our current service as accessible, contactable and supportive for everyone within all our communities?
- Direct feedback on peoples experiences: Do people who receive care and support feel their choices are considered? Are there any barriers to their care and support? Do their experiences help them to live life as they would like to?
Phases
Draft strategy document - further feedback
Thank you to everyone who has taken part in this project so far. We received responses directly to our survey and also gathered feedback and views from professionals and partners working within adult social care and other interested parties, organisations and groups.
Within the survey responses there was a strong carers response. We also received responses from members of the public including people with no adult social care experience as well as those who have received support and services.
A number of people also confirmed they would like to be further involved in helping to develop our services particularly in relation to older peoples’ services, physical disability services and mental health services.
Survey feedback
Vision and draft priorities:
Overall people felt that the vision does capture what they would expect from an adult social care service and the priority themes outlined are correct. From this feedback, areas of focus regarding our draft priorities include:
- Flexibility, choice and responsiveness of services and support options
- Accessibility of services
- Support and recognition for carers
- Increased investment in services including specialist services
- Connected communities, communication and preventing isolation
Key words that people used to describe the most important things that they would want from adult social care services for themselves in the future included:
- Support / supportive
- Care / caring
- Compassion / compassionate
- Accessible / available
- Affordability / value for money
Overall, people pointed towards adult social care that is supportive, accessible, timely, personalised, affordable, high-quality, transparent, and empowering.
In summary of what people want from adult social care service in the future for a person they support, responses noted person-centred and individualised care and support that is timely, accessible, safe, consistent, flexible, supportive of carers, provides good communication, as well dignity, respect, empowerment, and adequate funding.
Feedback from those who have experience of adult social care and support:
This feedback highlights key areas of focus within our draft priorities including:
- Providing clear and easy to read information
- Support led by what matters to people
- Keeping vulnerable people safe
Feedback from those who have no experience currently of adult social care and support:
This feedback highlights key areas of focus within our draft priorities including:
- Contact and access to care and support services
- Connected communities
- Raising a concern
In terms of areas for increased support, people fed back the importance of proactive outreach and practical help in line with our priority regarding prevention and independence. This also included suggestions including buddy systems, befriending schemes, wider community led resources.
Once again thank you to everyone who has provided their feedback and comments to inform the development of the Adult Social Care Strategy. We are now in the final stages of preparing a draft strategy document that we will talk to our partners to review.
If you would like to learn more about the draft strategy document and or add further comment at this stage, you will be able to contact us at qualityassurancedevelopmentandlearningadults@durham.gov.uk during this stage.