Understanding the Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework (ASCOF)
The Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework (ASCOF) is a performance monitoring tool used in England to measure the quality and outcomes of adult social care services. While its ultimate goal is to benefit the individuals who use these services, its reach and influence are much broader. By providing a clear set of metrics, the ASCOF helps ensure that the care system is effective, transparent, and accountable to the public and to those it serves.
Direct Recipients of Support
ASCOF is primarily designed to measure outcomes for individuals who use adult social care services. This includes:
- Older people
- People with learning disabilities
- People with physical disabilities
- People with mental health needs
- People with long-term conditions
The framework assesses how well services meet the needs of these groups in areas like quality of life, independence, safety, and social connection.
Unpaid Carers and Families
ASCOF supports unpaid carers, such as family members, by measuring outcomes related to their quality of life and access to support. The framework acknowledges the importance of carer wellbeing.
Key Stakeholders and Their Role
Various organizations and professionals involved in adult social care also benefit from ASCOF, including local authorities and councils who use it for service improvement and accountability, and the government and policymakers who use it to monitor the system and inform policy. Health and Wellbeing Boards utilize ASCOF data for strategic planning, and the general public benefits from increased transparency.
Comparing ASCOF to a Different Framework
A comparison between ASCOF and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) Framework highlights their distinct roles:
| Feature | Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework (ASCOF) | Care Quality Commission (CQC) Framework |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Goal | To measure the effectiveness of the entire adult social care system at a national and local level, based on outcomes for people using services and carers. | To inspect and regulate individual care providers to ensure they meet fundamental standards of quality and safety. |
| Scope of Measurement | System-wide performance, focusing on key outcomes like quality of life, independence, safety, and social connection. | Provider-level performance, assessing whether a service is safe, effective, caring, responsive, and well-led. |
| Beneficiaries | Service users, unpaid carers, local authorities, central government, and the wider public. | Service users and the public who can access CQC reports to make choices about individual providers. Providers also benefit from CQC guidance. |
| How it Operates | Uses data collected via surveys and other sources (e.g., ASCS, CLD) to produce annual performance reports and dashboards. | Conducts inspections and monitors data to award ratings (e.g., Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, Inadequate) to individual providers. |
Conclusion
ASCOF is a tool supporting service users, unpaid carers, local authorities, and national policymakers. It provides feedback, ensures accountability, and guides policy to improve the adult social care system by focusing on outcomes important to people. For detailed information, consult the {Link: GOV.UK https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/adult-social-care-outcomes-framework-handbook-of-definitions/the-adult-social-care-outcomes-framework-handbook-of-definitions}
