Customer experience report: Access to adult social care

Healthwatch Brent undertook a mystery shopping approach to evaluating the quality of service provided by the adult social care team.  They developed a number of scenarios to phone adult social services:

• A carer who needs mental health support and is in crisis
• A parent calling on behalf of a young adult with autism
• An unpaid carer on behalf of a relative with dementia
• Early onset dementia
• Adaptation to a property
• Request for mobility aids
• Next of kin on behalf of temporarily ill parent

This task has reinforced the importance of clear communication, active listening, and empathy when supporting individuals in need. Through observing the calls, the team has learned how crucial it is to ensure that the person seeking help fully understands the process and feels supported every step of the way. 

The experience has also highlighted how critical it is for officers to ask follow-up questions and capture all aspects of the caller’s needs and provide relevant solutions. Additionally, it would have been beneficial for the advisor to have explained the entire process in detail, including potential delays or waiting times, to manage expectations and ensure the caller feels prepared. This task has deepened the understanding of the service provided by Brent Council helpline and the key role that effective communication plays in helping individuals navigate it