How Healthwatch helped make adult social care easier to access
A mystery shopper is someone independent of the council who anonymously tests services from a public point of view, helping to highlight what works well and what could be improved.
Healthwatch explored how easy it was for people to get advice, information and support from North Yorkshire Council’s adult social care services. We tested what happens when people try to get help using the phone, visiting a council office, or going online.
What we found
The North Yorkshire Council service was rated overall as good. But experiences varied depending on how people made contact.
- Phone calls often involved long waits, unclear instructions, and no updates about queue position.
- In-person visits were mostly positive, but some people felt they were quickly directed to a phone number without receiving real support.
- The website had useful content, but was described as too busy, difficult to navigate, and hard for people with limited digital confidence.
Healthwatch volunteers, as members of the public, tried to find information for relatives, carers, and older adults. Their honest feedback helped Healthwatch highlight key areas for North Yorkshire Council to improve.
This project took place at a time when pressures on adult social care remain high. In 2023 alone, over 470,000 people across England were waiting for care assessments or support, with 36 percent of them for more than six months. And in North Yorkshire, nearly 4,000 people per day across the county were delayed in hospital because they couldn’t get a care package or care home place arranged quickly enough.
Improvements already made
North Yorkshire Council welcomed the Healthwatch report and has started taking action to make things better.
They are providing:
- Faster call response times
The council is working to reduce phone wait times and prioritise calls from the public. A new phone system is being developed, due to launch in 2026, which will include queue updates and a call-back option. - Easier website access
The adult social care pages on the website have been reviewed and redesigned to make them easier to navigate. The new layout was created with user feedback and aims to meet accessibility standards. Ongoing user testing will make sure the pages work well for everyone. - Increased staff knowledge
A new training programme has been introduced for new customer service staff. This is delivered by specialists in health and adult services. A full list of training courses are now in place to support both new and existing staff. - Better information materials
All adult social care leaflets have been updated and reviewed to make sure they are accurate and accessible. Leaflets are now being shared at a wider range of locations including GP surgeries, pharmacies and foodbanks. - Improved face-to-face support
Frontline staff are receiving additional training to better support people who visit in person. This training will also be rolled out to library staff, volunteers and customer service teams. Video booths are being introduced in some locations so that people can speak directly with a specialist officer in private.
These improvements come at a time when adult social care in North Yorkshire is under significant pressure but also showing signs of progress. As of early 2024, 84 percent of care homes and 91 percent of community-based providers in the county were rated as “good” or better by the Care Quality Commission. In the last year, the council has also carried out 71 percent of required annual care reviews for long-term service users. This is well above the national average.
These improvements will make a real difference to older adults, carers, and families who need support quickly and without confusion, especially during difficult times.
Why this matters
Many people looking for help from adult social care are already facing difficult situations. The service they receive at that point should be clear, supportive and accessible.
For example, one shopper visited a North Yorkshire Council office asking about help for a partially sighted family member. Although staff were polite, alternatives to online information were only offered after prompting. In another case, a person seeking carer support waited over an hour on the phone and was unable to get through.
There were also strong examples of good support. The out-of-hours safeguarding phone line was rated excellent, with clear advice and a caring approach.
This work is now being shared as an example of how local feedback can lead to meaningful improvements in council-run services. It shows what can happen when councils listen and act on what people tell them.
Next steps
These changes are more than just adjustments — they mark real, meaningful progress for people across North Yorkshire. By reducing phone wait times, simplifying website navigation, improving staff training, and making materials more accessible, Healthwatch and North Yorkshire Council are helping make adult social care easier to reach, especially at times when people are most vulnerable.
But this is not the end of the road. It’s vital that we hold services to account: monitor how these improvements are rolled out, ensure they really work in practice, and are felt by everyone — including those less confident with digital services, with sensory impairments, or with language barriers.
We want to ensure that:
- People’s feedback continues to drive change — not just through reports, but through ongoing dialogue, mystery shopping, and user-testing so voices stay at the heart of service design.
- Service improvements are sustainable and measurable — with clear targets and transparent reporting so that we can see what’s working, where gaps remain, and when further action is needed.
- Every person in North Yorkshire can get help quickly, clearly, and without extra effort — whether by phone, face-to-face, or online. Accessibility isn’t an add-on; it must be built in from the start.
When councils listen, when services act, and when people are given the power to speak up, together we can ensure that no one is left struggling to find the support they need. Healthwatch will keep working alongside the Council, volunteers, and local people to turn these promising improvements into lived reality — for everyone, everywhere in the county.
