Ministers plan biggest shake-up of adult social care in England for decades
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But final report on reforms would not emerge until 2028, which health leaders say is kicking crisis ‘into the long grass’. Ministers are to launch a historic independent commission to reform adult social care, as they warned older people could be left without vital help and the NHS overwhelmed unless a “national consensus” was reached on fixing a “failing” system.
The taskforce, to be led by the cross-bench peer Louise Casey, will be charged with developing plans for a new national care service, a Labour election manifesto pledge, in the biggest shake-up to social care in England in decades. Millions of pounds in funding for elderly and disabled people to make home improvements and stay out of hospital were also announced on Friday as part of a wider package of support for the sector.
But the proposed timeline for completion of the commission’s work was criticised by health and care leaders, who accused ministers of kicking the adult social care crisis “into the long grass”. An interim report will be delivered in 2026. The final report is not expected until 2028.
Writing in the Guardian, Wes Streeting said: “It will take time, but Casey’s work will finally grasp this nettle and set our country on the path to building a national care service that meets the urgent need of our generation, guarantees quality care to all who need it, and lasts long into the future, no matter which government is in power.”.
