The Care Quality Commission has published its annual assessment of the quality of health and social care in England.

The State of Care report found that:

• 55% of NHS acute hospital services were rated as good, compared with 51% the previous year
• 68% of NHS mental health core services were rated as good, compared with 61% the previous year
• 6% of NHS acute hospital and mental health core services were rated outstanding

However the report also points to “unprecedented pressure” on the system and the impact that is having on performance. It highlights continuing concerns over social care and calls for a long-term sustainable solution.

Responding to the report, the chief executive of NHS Providers, Chris Hopson, said: “This report shows that overall NHS trusts and their staff are responding well to extraordinary pressures. It is a credit to the commitment and expertise of front line staff that more trusts than last year are rated as good, and significantly fewer are rated as requires improvement.

It is a credit to the commitment and expertise of front line staff that more trusts than last year are rated as good, and significantly fewer are rated as requires improvement.

“However, we agree with the CQC that the pressures on the system are having a worrying impact on performance, including more delays at A&E, more cancelled operations, longer waits for routine operations, and higher thresholds for referrals into mental health services.

“The CQC is also right to highlight the continuing problems faced by social care, and the impact this is having on the NHS. We welcomed the additional funding for social care announced in the spring budget. Unfortunately this has not relieved the pressure on the NHS in the way that was hoped. This does not bode well for the coming winter.

“We support the CQC’s call for a long-term sustainable funding solution for social care. The future quality of health and social care is indeed precarious. NHS trusts are clearly doing all they can to maintain standards of care but the signs are clear, we can not go on as we are.”

Read our NHS Providers on the day briefing which summarises the CQC's State of health and social care in England report.