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Plans to strengthen adult social care services take another step forward

Published
People in Gloucestershire who rely on mental health support will benefit from more joined-up services, as the next step in improving adult social care is delivered.
senior woman is supported at home by care worker

From Monday 1 June 2026, the Mental Health Social Work service funded by the council and previously delivered by Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust (GHC), is now being provided directly by Gloucestershire County Council.

This is an important milestone in wider plans to reshape services and strengthen support for local people.

By bringing the service into the council, teams can work more closely together and use the same systems. This will make it easier to share information, improve oversight and reduce duplication. It will also support the council’s stronger focus on early help and prevention, so people can get the right support at the right time.

For residents, there will be no change to the support they receive. Services will continue as normal, and the council and GHC have worked closely together to make sure the transition has been smooth and well managed.

The change relates to how adult social care services are organised and does not affect NHS clinical services.

Both organisations have worked in close partnership to support staff through the transition, with a strong focus on wellbeing and continuity. The county council has also put in place a comprehensive onboarding programme to welcome social workers into the organisation and ensure they feel supported, valued and ready to continue delivering high-quality care from day one.

This is the first of several planned changes following a decision made by council’s cabinet in July 2025 to bring some adult social care services back under its direct management, as part of a wider improvement programme.

Councillor Dr Kate Usmar, cabinet member for Adults’ Support and Independence at Gloucestershire County Council, said: “This is an important step forward in strengthening the support we provide for people with mental health needs in Gloucestershire.

“By bringing services closer together, we can offer more joined-up support, improve how we work across teams and focus more on early help and prevention.

“Most importantly, this means a better experience for the people who rely on our services with care that is more coordinated, responsive and focused on what matters to them.”

The county council and GHC have worked in close partnership to deliver this first stage, maintaining a shared focus on high-quality care and support throughout the transition.

Further transfers, including Occupational Therapy, Supported Accommodation and Reablement services, are planned later this year. These will continue to be delivered in partnership with GHC, with the same focus on continuity of care for residents and support for staff.