Strengthening Data Quality and Consistency Across the East Midlands

Quality and Consistency Data Workshop (Assessments)

Colleagues from across the East Midlands came together on Monday 18 May 2026 at Nottinghamshire County Council’s Assembly Hall for a regional workshop focused on improving data quality and consistency in social care assessments.

The event brought together operational leads, Principal Social Workers, and performance leads with a shared aim: to strengthen how social care practice is reflected in performance data, and to support more consistent, reliable benchmarking across the region.

Driving consistency in assessment timeliness

The workshop centred on assessment timeliness, one of two agreed regional priority areas (alongside reviews). This focus reflects both the variation in how assessment pathways are defined locally and the absence of national standards in this area.

Participants explored key questions, including:

• When does an assessment begin?
• What defines completion?
• How does day-to-day practice influence the accuracy of reporting?

Collaborative approach to shared challenges

Through a combination of paired council discussions and whole-group sessions, attendees worked collaboratively to:

• Map key stages along the assessment pathway from first contact to completion
• Identify common points across different local processes
• Discuss appropriate timelines and quality standards for each stage
• Examine how operational practice and data entry impact performance reporting

These discussions highlighted both areas of alignment and differences in local approaches, reinforcing the need for a shared regional framework.

Building the foundations for regional standards

A key outcome of the day was the emerging consensus around developing a shared East Midlands description of the assessment pathway, focused on key stages rather than detailed local processes.

Participants also considered what is needed to move from concept to implementation, including:

• Embedding consistent definitions within social work practice
• Ensuring data recording supports accurate performance reporting
• Supporting councils to review and adapt local processes

Next steps

The workshop marks an important step towards establishing consistent regional standards for assessment timeliness, enabling more meaningful benchmarking and supporting quality improvement. A task and finish will be established, comprising operational and performance colleagues, to build on the workshop outputs.