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Key messages – 25 September 2026

Focused Assessment of adult social care

  • The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has told us it will carry out a focused assessment of some of our Adult Social Care functions during the week beginning 19 October 2026.

  • The assessment will focus on how we assess people’s needs, safeguarding, governance, management and sustainability.

  • This is a valuable opportunity to show the progress we have made since Lancashire’s full local authority assessment in 2025.

  • Most importantly, we can demonstrate how these improvements are making a difference to people who draw on care and support, and to unpaid carers.

  • Everyone involved in the assessment should be confident, honest and authentic when discussing their work. Please share real examples of how you are improving people’s experiences and helping them to live independently.

  • We will provide further guidance and support to everyone involved.

Congratulations to Democratic Services and Waste Services

  • Congratulations to our Democratic Services team. Its Great Lancashire Debate scheme was named Democracy Project of the Year 2026 by the Association of Democratic Services Officers.

  • The award recognises the project’s success in helping young people from local schools to engage with democracy and have a voice in local decision-making.

  • For more information, read the Awards win for the Great Lancashire Debate staff news article on the intranet.

  • Congratulations also to our Waste Services team. Its Reuse Hubs won Best Service Team of the Year: Recycling, Waste and the Circular Economy at the Association of Public Service Excellence Awards.

  • The Reuse Hubs rescue furniture and household items from Household Waste Recycling Centres. The items are then provided free of charge to residents referred by the council or recognised partner organisations.

  • The service helps residents create safe, comfortable homes, while reducing waste and delivering environmental, social and financial benefits.

  • For more information, read the APSE award win for our Reuse Hubs article on the intranet.

Astute e-learning – new single sign-on

  • Astute now uses single sign-on, making e-learning quicker and easier to access.

  • Continue to use Astute for mandatory training and other online courses.

  • Sign in to the Astute page with your Lancashire County Council account.

  • You no longer need separate login details.

  • Your courses and training records will not change, and you do not need to take any action.

  • For now, some courses, including Information Governance training, remain on MeLearning.

  • How you access the Lancashire Safeguarding Partnership platform will not change.

  • Astute does not automatically update Oracle Fusion. You must continue to update your training record where required.

  • Find out more in our latest Astute staff news article on the intranet.