Adult Social Care Survey 2020-21 Methodological Change Notice – August 2021

The Personal Social Services Adult Social Care Survey (ASCS) is an annual survey which asks long-term care service users questions about quality of life and what impact care and support services have on their quality of life. User experience information is critical for understanding the impact of services, for enabling service user choice and for informing service development.

It also collects information about self-reported general health and well-being and these themes are covered in the six sections of the questionnaire: 

• overall satisfaction with care and support 
• quality of life
• knowledge and information
• your health
• layout of home and surrounding area
• help from others

The eligible population for this survey covers all service users aged 18 and over in receipt, at the point that data are extracted, of long-term support services provided or commissioned by the council or an NHS health partner under Section 75 Agreements and part of a care/support plan following an assessment of need.

The data collected are sent to NHS Digital by Councils with Adult Social Service Responsibilities (CASSRs) and are used as the basis of analyses that are included in national level Official Statistics reports. Data are also used to populate several measures in the Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework (ASCOF). These data are used to inform and support policy and decision making at both the local and national level; to improve care, services and outcomes for local populations.

The resulting official statistics report focuses on some of the key findings from the mandatory questions from the survey, a summary on information about the service users and analysis on questions which have notable changes to the previous year.

2020-21 was the eleventh year the survey took place and unlike in previous years, the survey was voluntary, allowing CASSRs to assess the burden of the survey alongside their local response to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic and choose whether or not to participate. This change in mandate was communicated to CASSRs in a letter sent on 23 October 2020.

For those CASSRs who took part, fieldwork was conducted between January and March 2021 and so the responses received were during the national lockdown imposed due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Given that the low CASSR participation numbers does not allow for the inference of regional and national totals, the Official Statistics badge will be temporarily removed. The 2020-21 ASCS publication will therefore be badged as Management Information. All data processing and quality assurance will continue to be conducted in accordance with the Code of Practice for Statistics.

A summary of the impact of Coronavirus on the survey data will also be included in the data quality report that accompanies the forthcoming ASCS publication.

NHS Digital plan to return to normal proceedings for 2021-22, conducting a full ASCS in 2021- 22, reinstating the Official Statistics badging.

Further details on the 2020-21 ASCS are available.

Questions and feedback on the publication are welcomed and should be sent to [email protected].