More than 1,000 people in Cornwall are waiting for an assessment for adult social care after a rise in demand for services.

The health and social care system in Cornwall is currently under pressure with delays in providing care packages, leading to people being stuck in hospital waiting to be discharged.

Now it has been revealed that more than a thousand people are waiting to be assessed for care, whilst 109 people are at home without care or support and waiting for services. The number of people waiting to be assessed has increased over the last few weeks.

The latest figures were provided by Andy Virr, Cornwall Council Cabinet member for adult social care (ASC), in his regular update to the council’s health and adult social care overview and scrutiny committee.

He wrote: “Throughout December the care and health system has been under extreme challenge with pressures across all parts of our system with an increase in demand. ASC have experienced an increase in the number of people waiting for assessment by circa 100 people in the last few weeks alone.

“This is primarily associated with the significant numbers of people we have supported to leave hospital and now waiting for their care act needs assessment in a place of safety. ASC now have 1,069 people waiting for assessment.”

Cllr Virr added: “There has also been significant work completed throughout December to develop, at pace, a number of schemes across care and health, to support flow from hospital for Cornwall residents.

“There are currently 109 residents at home without care and support, waiting for services. However, there are 546 people waiting for a change in provision or waiting for a provision in another setting.”

The report also provided an update for councillors after the council had to step in to ensure domiciliary care services could continue to be provided following the failure of two companies in Cornwall. Cornwall Council stepped in to help people being cared for by Four Seasons Community Care in Torpoint and Penwith Care in Hayle last month.

Cllr Virr explained: “This has now been progressed and the transfer of care, totalling 1,385 hours a week, has now been re-provided through our 'provider failure' and 'provider of last resort' protocol. I would like to take this opportunity to formally note my thanks to Corserv, our partners who have taken on the workforce and the provision of care on our behalf.

“At the time of writing we remain in business continuity mode, which enables us to deploy our resources to ensure our absolute critical activity is prioritised to meet the needs of our local population.”

The Conservative councillor did highlight that the number of concerns about safeguarding being reported to the council had increased in recent months. He said: “We are experiencing significant increase in the number of safeguarding concerns coming through to the service, with 859 concerns raised with us in November 2022 compared to April 22 with 558 concerns reported to the safeguarding team. This activity has been steadily increasing over this period.”