Jo Platt MP: Wigan leads the way with 'outstanding' adult social care rating

I’m delighted that Wigan Council has been confirmed as the highest-rated adult social care authority in England, following the completion and publication of Care Quality Commission (CQC) local authority assessments.

Wigan has achieved an Outstanding rating and an overall score of 95 per cent - the highest published score nationally under the new CQC assurance framework.

This is a remarkable achievement and represents more than a decade of transformation in our borough.

At the heart of Wigan’s approach has been a simple belief: that people live well when their lives remain connected to the people, places and communities that matter most to them.

The borough’s neighbourhood approach, alongside strong partnerships with community organisations and local services, has been central to this success.

This joined-up approach has helped reduce pressure on hospitals, avoid unnecessary admissions, support people to return home sooner and strengthen the network of support available to residents and their families.

I want to pay tribute to the care workers, social workers, volunteers and other professionals across the constituency and beyond who make such a difference every day.

Their dedication, compassion and expertise are what turn good ideas into better outcomes for people across Leigh, Atherton and the wider borough.

I also very much welcome the Prime Minister’s commitment to reforming and strengthening palliative care and adult social care.

Fixing social care is crucial to relieving pressure on the NHS and ensuring people receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.

I am pleased that the Prime Minister has asked Baroness Louise Casey’s Independent Commission on Adult Social Care to bring forward its final recommendations by summer 2027 - a year earlier than originally planned.

Alongside the review, the Big Conversation on Care has been launched, a public consultation seeking views on the principles that should underpin a reformed social care system, including the balance between individual and state responsibility and how care should be funded.

I am particularly pleased that the Government has also confirmed a fair pay agreement for social care staff, recognising the vital contribution they make every day.

The Prime Minister has indicated that he wants to go further, including bringing social care pay more closely into line with NHS pay scales and creating clearer career progression, including opportunities for social care workers to move into NHS roles.

Wigan’s Outstanding rating is a fantastic achievement and a testament to what can be achieved when people, communities and services work together.

I am proud that Leigh and Atherton are part of a borough leading the way nationally, and I will continue to support efforts to ensure that we help shape a stronger, fairer and more sustainable social care system for the future.