Salford Mayor Paul Dennett apologised to residents and admitted services have “not been fit for purpose” after a watchdog criticised Salford City Council over its “inadequate” adult social care provision.
The Care Quality Commission gave Salford City Council the lowest possible rating in a newly published report, which follows an inspection in November 2025.
Salford City Council said it takes the findings of the inspection “extremely seriously” and is committed to working with the regulator to improve social care provision in the city.
In response to the inspection, Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett said: “I am deeply disappointed by the report’s findings and I want to reassure you that we are changing how adult social care in Salford is delivered and we are going to fix this.
“For nearly a decade, adult social care in Salford has sat in a complex set of arrangements, with council staff transferring into an Integrated Care Organisation as NHS employees with Salford Royal Foundation Trust initially from 2016 and since 2021 as part of the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust.
“This started with around 450 staff and grew significantly over time to around 2000 members of staff with a budget of £213 million.
“These arrangements haven’t delivered consistently good outcomes for Salford people, and they have not given us the grip and accountability that we need.
“This is why, in April last year, well before this report was published, we made the decision to bring Adult Social Care back under the direct leadership and management of the City Council.
“On behalf of the City Council, I want to apologise unreservedly to those residents and families who have had poor experiences of adult social care in Salford or have had to endure long waiting times for services.
“This isn’t the level of service and quality of provision I expect as your Directly Elected Mayor.”
Mayor Dennett conceded that adult social care arrangements in Salford have not been “fit for purpose” and promised to fix the shortcomings.
“Adult social care arrangements in the city have simply not been fit for purpose, and my personal commitment to you is that we are going to fix this.
“We will take back control of social care, bringing the staff and services back home safely to the City Council, supporting our residents and families to live healthy lives.”
The council said it has begun to combat many of the issues raised by the watchdog through an adult social care improvement programme, which has brought more services back in-house.
“Ensuring safety across the adult social care system has been the Council’s priority,” a Salford Council spokesperson said. “Since the inspection, a safeguarding development plan has been put in place, safeguarding guidance has been introduced for all staff and safeguarding audits have been launched.”
Salford City Council said it is investing an extra £4.5 million over the next 2 years to support the improvement plan and fund the recruitment of more adult social care staff.
Stephen Young, Chief Executive of Salford City Council, added: “We are committed to changing the way that adult social care is delivered in Salford. Our improvement plan is in place. We have a new leadership team to drive improvement and deliver change at pace. We are already beginning to see progress, but we need to go further and faster and we will.”
In April last year, it was announced by the Council that adult social care services would be brought into the direct leadership and management of the City Council. Last month, 300 employees were welcomed into the Council. More employees will join the Council next month in the latest phase of the adult social care transformation programme.
Deputy City Mayor, Councillor Tracy Kelly, has been appointed to take on Cabinet responsibilities for Adult Social Care and Health, bringing leadership around Adult Services and Health, including Public Health, directly into the remit and responsibilities of the City Mayor’s Office.
Coun Kelly said: “I appreciate that many of you will be concerned and frustrated by this news. To say that I am disappointed is an understatement, but I am determined to put this right.
“I want to reassure all of those people who are being supported by adult social care services in Salford and their families, that we are determined to improve and make sure that people get the support that they deserve. Working alongside the City Mayor and a new leadership team, which is now in place, we will deliver change at pace.
“Our improvement journey will be shaped by the people who use our services, our carers and by our staff and we will be open and transparent about the progress that we make.”
She added: “An Adult Social Care Improvement Board has already been established with an independent Chair, Kath O’Dwyer, formerly chief executive of St Helens Council. The Board includes local Salford health and social care system partners. Together with the City Council, our partners are committed to collectively, proactively and robustly addressing and delivering at pace the improvements that are required.
“This wasn’t an inspection of residential care homes in the city nor of those who deliver in-house care services. 94% of adult social care providers in Salford are rated as Good by the Care Quality Commission.”
