Menu
Adult social care was firmly in the spotlight at the Nuffield Trust Summit 2026, where Baroness Louise Casey, Chair of the Independent Commission on Adult Social Care, called for a “national reckoning” for the sector.
In her speech on 5 March 2026, Baroness Casey argued that social care has never had the equivalent of the NHS’s founding moment. She compared the scale of change needed to the reforms introduced by the Beveridge Report in 1948, which helped shape the modern welfare state.
Baroness Casey highlighted how the current system has developed gradually over time, often relying on underfunded services, low-paid care workers, and the support of families to function. She also pointed to a lack of clear ownership and accountability across the NHS, local government and central government.
According to Baroness Casey, this has left many families navigating a fragmented system while the demand for care continues to grow as people live longer and often with more complex health needs.
You can read the Casey Commisssion press release here.
During the summit, Baroness Casey outlined six immediate actions she believes the Government should take in response to urgent pressures in the care system. These focus particularly on people living with dementia, motor neurone disease (MND) and safeguarding vulnerable adults.
Her proposals include:
The recommendations reflect growing concern that people with rapidly progressing conditions can struggle to access the care and support they need quickly enough.
The National Care Forum (NCF), the leading membership body for not-for-profit social care providers, welcomed Baroness Casey’s speech and the urgency she placed on reform.
Vic Rayner OBE, Chief Executive of the NCF, said the issues raised would strongly resonate with organisations providing care and support across the country.
She commented that Baroness Casey had “called time on decades of ‘arm’s length’ attitudes to social care by both national government and the NHS,” and welcomed the proposal for a national safeguarding board to strengthen accountability and protection for vulnerable adults.
The NCF also emphasised the importance of recognising the role of not-for-profit providers, arguing that they should form a cornerstone of a future National Care Service where public funding is clearly directed towards high-quality care and community benefit.
At the same time, the organisation stressed that despite the challenges facing the sector, many providers continue to deliver outstanding care and support through a skilled and dedicated workforce.
The Independent Commission on Adult Social Care launched in April 2025 and has been gathering evidence from people with lived experience of care, alongside providers, local authorities, NHS staff and carers.
As part of this work, the Commission has been visiting care providers across the country to understand the realities of delivering care services.
In summer 2025, BCOP welcomed representatives from the Casey Commission to Neville Williams House, where they met staff and saw first-hand the work taking place in a community-based, not-for-profit care setting.
You can read more about the visit here
The Commission’s work will be delivered in two phases, with an initial report expected in 2026 and a final report due in 2028.
For organisations working in social care, including charities and community-based providers, the coming years may prove pivotal in shaping how care and support are delivered for future generations.
The National Care Forum (NCF) is the leading association for not-for-profit social care.
NCF brings together more than 170 of the UK’s leading social care organisations, representing large numbers of care providers offering thousands of services across the country. These organisations are not-for-profit and are always at the heart of community provision.
Collectively, NCF members deliver more than £2.3 billion of social care and support to over 277,000 people. The membership body collectively employs more than 124,000 staff and 14,000 volunteers.
BCOP is a member of the National Care Forum.
More information is available on the National Care Forum website: www.nationalcareforum.org.uk