The National Care Forum (NCF) – the leading association for not-for-profit social care has responded to the publication this Commission Terms of Reference.

NCF CEO, Vic Rayner commented: “We welcome the publication of the independent Casey Commission’s Terms of Reference which will explore what is needed for medium and long term reform and the development of a National Care Service. NCF and its membership stands ready to help Baroness Casey as she undertakes this important piece of work and look forward to collaborating closely with her and the Commission team.

“The Terms of Reference set out confirmation that the reporting timelines for the Commission will be unchanged. This instantly poses a concern as to how seriously government is taking the urgency for social care reform, as the issues resulting in people not being able to access the care and support they need now, continue to be well documented.

“The Commission must also be careful that in aligning with the NHS 10 Year Plan and the achievement of health targets in Phase 1, the focus does not move away from where it should be; the purpose of social care to help people live well and have good lives. We would urge the Commission to keep this, and the role that social care plays in preventing hospital admissions, as the central thread as the “national conversation” begins in Phase 1.

“We urge the Commission, when considering possible improvements to quality and productivity through changes to funding flows and accountability mechanisms, to explore thoroughly how the not-for-profit models operated by our members support value for the public pound and the ethical delivery of care and support. We invite the Commission team to visit our members’ services to understand this better by meeting frontline care workers and those that they provide care and support for and their families.

“The Commission starts against an alarming backdrop of continued financial pressure and strain on our social care system. While it will need to focus on the long-term, it is imperative that the government understands we cannot wait until the Commission’s recommendations are published before taking action. This must include setting aside sufficient funding in the Spending Review so as not to curtail the important work Baroness Casey is undertaking.

Building a social care system fit for the future can only be achieved by ensuring it is built on solid ground.”

 

What is the Casey Commission?

In January 2025, the Government has announced an independent commission into adult social care, chaired by The Baroness Casey of Blackstock DBE CB. The aim is to inform government of the work needed to deliver a National Care Service. The commission will report directly to the Prime Minister. The full terms of reference can be found here.

Split over two phases, the commission will set out a vision for adult social care, with recommended measures and a roadmap for delivery.
The first phase, reporting in mid-2026, will identify the critical issues facing adult social care and set out recommendations for effective reform and improvement in the medium term.
It will recommend tangible, pragmatic solutions that can be implemented in a phased way to lay the foundations for a National Care Service. The recommendations of this phase will be aligned with the government’s spending plans which will be set out at the Spending Review in the spring.

The second phase, reporting by 2028, will make longer-term recommendations for the transformation of adult social care. It will build on the commission’s first phase to look at the model of care needed to address our ageing population, how services should be organised to deliver this, and how to best create a fair and affordable adult social care system for all.

You can read more about the initial announcement of the Casey Commission into social care here

 

About the National Care Forum

The 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, which are not for profit and always at the heart of community provision. Collectively, these organisations deliver more than £2.3 billion of social care and support to more than 277,000 people. The NCF membership body collectively employs more than 124,000 staff and 14,000 volunteers.
More information is available on the National Care Forum at www.nationalcareforum.org.uk. @NCFCareForum @vicrayner @NCF_Liz

NCF called on the new government to take action to support social care in their “Social care must haves policy document”, published in summer 2024.

BCOP is a member of NCF.