Oxfordshire County Council’s adult social care service has been rated ‘good’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) following a planned inspection earlier this year.
The report, published on 5 September 2025, praised the council’s “Oxfordshire Way” vision, which helps people live well and independently within their communities. Inspectors also highlighted strong partnership working with the NHS, community groups and the voluntary sector.
Praise for Partnership and Safeguarding
The CQC inspection took place between 13–17 January 2025 and included meetings with staff, councillors, partner organisations, and people who use the service.
Key strengths highlighted in the report include:
- Improved safeguarding: long-standing cases reduced from 286 to 18 in a year.
- Reablement success: 77% of people regained full independence following support after hospital discharge.
- Youth transition: young people moving into adulthood described as experiencing “aspirational and ambitious” conversations.
- Stronger community ties: closer work with voluntary groups to plan services around local needs.
Council Response
Councillor Tim Bearder, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, welcomed the outcome:
“I’m delighted to confirm our ‘good’ rating following the CQC inspection and congratulate everyone involved in achieving this positive outcome. The report highlights our clear vision for adult social care in Oxfordshire and the strong partnerships that help us to keep improving services for residents.
“I also want to recognise the dedication of our care workers. Their commitment is absolutely central to this rating.”
Where Oxfordshire Still Faces Challenges
The CQC’s assessment looked at nine areas across four themes. Oxfordshire scored ‘good’ (3 out of 4) in most categories, but inspectors identified some gaps.
Chief Inspector James Bullion praised the county’s smoother transitions for young people moving into adult services, shorter assessment waiting times, and improved safeguarding, but said there was “still more to do”.
He noted that support in rural areas could feel inconsistent, safeguarding responses occasionally “lacked urgency”, and families of people with autism or mental health needs sometimes struggled to access consistent help.
Oxfordshire’s ageing population is also putting pressure on services: the proportion of residents aged 65 and over has risen by 25% in a decade, now representing nearly 22% of the county. With more unpaid carers reporting health challenges of their own, the CQC said data and planning will be vital to keep services sustainable.
Adult social care accounts for more than a quarter of the county council’s spending (£258m in 2023/24), underlining its importance in Oxfordshire’s overall budget.
Building on Children’s Services
The result comes just over a year after Ofsted rated the council’s children’s services as ‘good’ (April 2024), meaning both adult and children’s services are now meeting a strong national standard.
Oxfordshire County Council says the CQC’s findings will be used to inform ongoing improvement plans, with a continued focus on working alongside residents, families, carers, and frontline partners.
