Government Launches Independent Commission to Reform Social Care
The UK Government has unveiled plans to establish a new independent commission dedicated to addressing the pressing challenges within adult social care and formulating long-term reform strategies. The commission will provide a blueprint for a revitalized care system designed to meet current and future demands.
The body, which will be led by former senior civil servant Baroness (Louise) Casey, will examine the vital issues facing the sector today before recommending changes designed to help achieve the government’s ambition of creating a ‘national care service’ and based on a cross-party consensus.
The commission’s mission includes creating a National Care Service based on uniform national standards, ensuring consistent and equitable care provision across the country. The initiative aims to engage care recipients, families, staff, politicians, and representatives from public, private, and voluntary sectors to shape a robust framework for adult social care.
An £86m boost to the disabled facilities grant and a new shared digital platform for both the NHS and care staff has also been announced by the Department for Health & Social Care today.
A Vision for the Future
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting emphasized the importance of building a care system fit for the 21st century. “This commission represents an opportunity to forge a consensus around a National Care Service that will serve people with dignity and fairness for generations to come,” he stated.
Streeting also extended an invitation to opposition parties, encouraging cross-party collaboration to ensure the longevity of the care reforms. He praised Baroness Casey’s extensive experience in public service reform, describing her as the ideal choice to spearhead this transformative effort.
The Health Secretary said: “In the first six months of this government, work has already begun on stabilising the care sector, investing in prevention, and in carers and care workers. The investment and reforms we’re announcing today will help to modernise social care, get it working more closely with the NHS, and help deliver our Plan for Change. But our ageing society, with costs of care set to double in the next 20 years, demands longer term action.”
“The independent commission will work to build a national consensus around a new National Care Service able to meet the needs of older and disabled people into the 21st century.”
“I have written to opposition parties to invite them to take part in the commission’ work, and asked Baroness Louise Casey to build a cross-party consensus, to ensure the national care service survives governments of different shades, just as our NHS has for the past 76 years.”
“We are appointing one of our country’s leading public service reformers, and Whitehall’s greatest do-er, to finally grasp the nettle on social care reform.”
Baroness Louise Casey of Blackstock said: “Millions of older people, disabled people, their families and carers rely upon an effective adult social care system to live their lives to the full, with independence and dignity
An independent commission is an opportunity to start a national conversation, find the solutions and build consensus on a long-term plan to fix the system. I am pleased the Prime Minister has asked me to lead this vital work.
Minister of State for Care Stephen Kinnock said: “Previous attempts to reform adult social care have failed due to a destructive combination of party political point-scoring and short-term thinking. ”
“Baroness Casey’s commission will build cross-party consensus, and will lay the foundations for a National Care Service that’s rooted in fairness and equality. It will tackle both the immediate issues and the fundamental challenges that must be addressed if we are to get our adult social care system back on its feet and fit for the future.”
“The Casey Commission is a once in a generation opportunity to transform adult social care, and to ensure that everyone is able to live with the dignity, independence and quality of life that they deserve.”
The commission’s work is set to commence in April 2025 as part of the government’s broader Plan for Change. This comprehensive initiative seeks to modernize health and care services while addressing immediate challenges such as reducing waiting times.
Welcome Measures
Mike Padgham, Chair of the social care provider organisation, The Independent Care Group (ICG), said: “We welcome the measures announced today, especially those that help people remain independent in their own homes.”
“And we have argued for some time that social care staff should be able to undertake the kind of health checks and treatments that are highlighted today, as it makes sense for them to be done by staff who are working with people every day rather than waiting for a doctor or nurse to visit.”
“My concern over this measure, is that if it isn’t supported by more funding to social care, it will heap further pressure on staff in a sector that is already straining under the pressure and working with 131,000 staff vacancies.”
“After 30 years of neglect, social care sector is on its knees and my biggest disappointment from today’s announcement is the timetable for major reform.”
“We have to wait until mid-2026 before first stage reporting from the commission and then no doubt it will take time to implement the reforms.”
“Then the second phase reports in 2028, again a long way down the road and perilously close to another General Election. If the Government doesn’t get a second term, what happens to the recommendations?”
“The sector has had enough of reports, we need to see urgent action. We might not have all the perfect solutions at hand, but we can’t have utopia and we need to make a start. In the past 20 years we have had five health secretaries and 18 ministers and in that time, eight green papers, four white papers, two inquiries and numerous other reports.”
“I can see why the Government would want cross-party consensus on this, but my fear is that it might just add further delays, which I suspect is what has happened in the past.”
“We know what needs to be done and we want to see the Government be bold and get on with it. Social care providers have lots of knowledge and expertise and are ready to add our help in tackling the issues.”
“We need to see a true National Care Service, with health and social care merged, better pay and conditions for social care staff – on a par with their NHS counterparts – and an immediate injection of cash into social care, with £2bn widely regarded as the minimum needed, with some of that switched from the NHS.”
“We cannot fix the NHS without fixing social care first and we cannot wait until 2026 and beyond for that reform to begin.”
“Whilst today’s measures are welcome, they still expose a lack of urgency in reforming social care. We need reform so that we can start giving care to the 2m who currently can’t get it and so that social care can play its part in supporting the Government’s reform of the NHS, not least its desire to move care from hospital to community. That cannot happen while ever social care is in crisis and unable to deliver.”
