Adult Social Care Caseload and Workload Audit 2023/24
Our Adult Services Practice Quality Assurance Framework includes the requirement to undertake ‘Caseload and Workload Audits’. Good caseload management and supervision processes are critical to maintaining effective strength-based practice. We need to ensure, and be able to demonstrate, that staff are maintaining caseloads of suitable sizes and complexities.
Caution should always be used when looking at caseload numbers in isolation as this does not demonstrate any potential case weighting. This weighting is usually articulated in terms of complexity, risk and time (travel).
Approach
This is the second organisational audit undertaken to identify the average caseloads for social workers and social care professionals in the organisation. The first audit was undertaken in 2019/20.
Methodology
Data collection on average caseloads levels within teams over a rolling 12 month period from July 2022 to June 2023.
Findings
Overview of caseloads in key service areas;
- Hospital Discharge Team average 32.9
- Therapy Hospital Discharge Team average 29.0
- Occupational Therapy Team average 30.1
- Visual and Hearing Impairment Team average 25.1
- Cares Team average 18.3
- Promoting Independence Team average 19.0
- Review Team average 14.7
- Continuing Healthcare Team average 14.9
- Short term services average 17.5
- Older People’s Team average 17.1
- Transitions Team average 10.7
- All Age Disability average 11.8
- Transforming Care Team 7.3
Summary
Average caseloads for the Hospital Discharge Team and Occupational Therapy Teams appear to have increased since the last audit. Team managers for the service areas acknowledged due to increased support for hospital discharge pathways, case complexity and 7-day service. Both areas advised impact of re-assigning cases due to reprioritising work was contributing to higher numbers.
Average caseloads for other teams showed potential decreases although by role / profession could suggest some general maintenance of levels.
Caseload levels in the organisation do though appear reasonable (taking into account impact of case reassigning) and this was mirrored via feedback from staff within the Organisational Health Check Survey in 2022/23 73% of staff say their caseload is fair and manageable. (81% in 2019, 43% in 2017).
The audit will be repeated in 12-24 months’ time.