Adult social care commission to be brought forward: CCN responds

Today the Prime Minister has announced that Baroness Casey's Independent Commission into Adult Social Care will be brought forward a year, alongside the start of a national 'Big Conversation' on reforming the system and to discuss how the country pays for care.

Originally planned to report in 2028, Andy Burnham said this morning that the commission will be brought forward to around 'a year from now'.

Alongside this, Baroness Casey announced the start of a national 'Big Conversation', designed to debate potential options for reforming the social care system and how to pay for care.

Below, the County Councils Network responds to today's announcements.

Cllr Glen Sanderson, Adult Social Care and Health Spokesperson for the County Councils Network, said:

“Despite decades of promises, much-needed social care reform has yet to materialise, largely due to a lack of political will and under-funded proposals. The Prime Minister’s promise to grasp the nettle is very positive. The key now is to develop a practicable plan for reform that works for every postcode.

“The announcement today that the timescales for Baroness Casey’s Independent Commission on Social Care will be shortened is encouraging. Councils need change to happen sooner rather than later, with county and unitary authorities particularly exposed to financial pressures. Left unchecked, county local authorities could be spending £20bn a year on adult social care by the end of this Parliament – with many spending up to threequarters of their commissioning budgets on working-age adults.

“Whatever reform is ultimately proposed, local councils must remain delivering adult social care services. They have proven themselves to adeptly deliver – and modernise – local services despite seeing drastic budget cuts for decades. Councils know their populations and areas best, and efforts to extend community-based care and neighbourhood health will only succeed with them at the helm.

“Social care is frequently misunderstood and there fore the start of a ‘Big Conversation’ today with the public is essential. Discussions must now move beyond a narrow debate of who pays care costs for the elderly and instead extend to services used by an increasing number of working-age adults, the role of family carers, the NHS’s role in the system and how reforms will be funded. Cross party working will be vital here, and the County Councils Network remains committed to playing a collaborative role.”

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