Transforming Social Care: New Reforms and Independent Commission Announced

The government has announced a significant investment and reform package to improve adult social care and support the workforce.

Key measures include:

• Increased Funding: An additional £86 million for the Disabled Facilities Grant, totalling £711 million annually, to help 7,800 more disabled and elderly individuals make home improvements.
• Technological Advancements: Leveraging care technology to enhance support for older adults and streamline NHS and social care funding.
• Workforce Support: Better training and career progression opportunities for care workers, enabling them to perform health interventions at home.
• Digital Integration: Developing a shared digital platform for up-to-date medical information sharing between the NHS and care staff.

Baroness Louise Casey will chair an independent commission to provide recommendations for rebuilding the adult social care system. These initiatives aim to deliver optimal care, reduce hospital stays, and support long-term reforms for a National Care Service with consistent standards across the country.

The Commission will report in two phases. Phase 1, reporting in 2026, will focus on measures for improvement within the current resource structure. In phase 2, reporting by 2028, longer-term recommendations will be made for the transformation of the sector – re-shaping it to meet current needs and future demands.

Many key figures from within the health and social care sector have reacted positively to the new reforms and commission.

Making the announcement on January 3rd 2025, Care Minister Stephen Kinnock said: “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.”

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.”

Helen Walker, Chief Executive of Carers UK said:

“With 4.7 million unpaid carers in England who are the backbone of care within this country, we very much welcome this announcement. Adult social care is desperately in need of reform and a sustainable future. Families are under intense pressure and providing more care than ever before, many going without breaks, putting their own health at risk and having no choice but to give up work to care.

“Good quality and affordable adult social care is critical to the lives of million of unpaid carers and their families providing care, helping them to juggle work and care, return to work, and protect their health and wellbeing. We look forward to engaging with Baroness Casey and the Independent Commission to ensure carers’ voices are heard loud and clear and to set out the cross-Government support that unpaid carers need.”

NHS Chief Executive, Amanda Pritchard, said:

“A long-term solution for social care is absolutely critical as we build an NHS that is fit for the future through the 10 Year Health Plan, so we really welcome the additional investment to services as well as the independent commission into social care.

“Social care has a huge impact on the NHS, with thousands of people in hospitals who are medically fit for discharge the current strain the sector is under has significant consequences for both NHS productivity and performance, so we hope this vital action plan and commitment to create a national care service will both help better support people and ease pressure on hospital wards.”

Kathryn Smith, Chief Executive at Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE), said:

“With its aim of building cross-party consensus for a future National Care Service, the Casey Commission has the potential to end decades of gridlock and deliver a lasting settlement that will change the lives of people who draw on care and support for the better.

“We look forward to contributing to the Commission’s work, including sharing our ideas and good practice examples for improving access to care, adopting new care models and raising quality standards.”

“Harnessing and scaling innovation will be crucial to navigating the current challenges facing social care as well as future-proofing the system for the long-term. This includes addressing the growing demand for social care and people’s evolving care needs, tackling longstanding workforce challenges, and finding a fair and sustainable way of financing social care.”

At Social Care TV we believe the new reforms offer a crucial and significant step forward at an imperative time. We are delighted to see commitment to better training and career progression opportunities for care workers. Recognition and improved career progression for care workers is something we have always championed at Social Care TV in our role as online training provider to the health and social care sector, alongside exceptional training that equips individuals with the knowledge, skills, and expertise required to deliver service excellence and thrive within this field.

We also welcome the focus on improving care technology and data sharing between the NHS and social care - a vital step for the future of the sector.

We are optimistic about the independent commission led by Baroness Louise Casey, which aims to create a sustainable, long-term national care service and look forward to following the progress and effect on both the immediate needs and future challenges within the sector.

Read more at: New reforms and independent commission to transform social care - GOV.UK

 

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.