ADULT social care in Shropshire has been praised following a regional peer review by other councils.

The county's services were scrutinised as part of a review commissioned by the West Midlands branch of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services in England (ADASS).

Officers and councillors from councils in Dudley, Telford & Wrekin, Coventry and Herefordshire praised the quality of adult social care in Shropshire during a peer review into the effectiveness of services across the West Midlands.

People who use services, carers, the voluntary and third sector, the independent sector, NHS, and a wide range of officers from across Shropshire Council, senior NHS and Telford & Wrekin system leaders, also contributed to the review.

The report described the workforce as loyal and dedicated and highlighted the good support provided to practitioners and managers throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

Andy Begley, chairman of WM ADASS and Shropshire Council's executive director of adult social care and housing, said the report reflected the work of social care staff in Shropshire.

"This positive review is reward for the hard work and effort of all our staff. I am immensely proud of the team," he said.

"From the floods to coronavirus, adult social care in Shropshire has faced a fair few challenges so far this year, but our staff have risen to the occasion in a big way.

"We now need to build on this and ensure that we are ready to meet further challenges in the future."

Meanwhile Peter Jackson, improvement director for WM ADASS, added: "In Shropshire there's always been a significant culture of learning and challenge, but this was the first peer review carried out at pace, entirely online and in the middle of a continuing global health crisis.

"The report makes is clear that Shropshire Council has some key strengths already in place – from good support to practitioners and managers, to great team work, and flexible IT that allowed people to work at home well.

"But the Shropshire team built on and developed these strengths under pressure and in very difficult circumstances.

"There was a strong commitment to operate across the health and care system.

"We heard and saw many examples of people demonstrating a level of compassion and caring for each other on an individual level.

"Across health and local government, it felt refreshing to work across boundaries. There was a strong sense of common purpose."