Source · Select Committees · Health and Social Care Committee
Recommendation 9
9
Deferred
Prioritise agreement on adult social care funding structure, including a ring-fence for prevention.
Recommendation
We recommend that securing agreement on the funding structure must be the top priority for the Casey Commission and for any future Government reforms. Without this agreement, reform can only ever be piecemeal and short-term in outlook and, ultimately, will fail. We also recommend that any future funding structure includes a ring-fence for preventative work. (Recommendation, Paragraph 61) 54
Government Response Summary
The government agrees reform is essential and supports the independent Casey Commission, but states Baroness Casey has autonomy to determine priorities and shape the commission's work, deflecting the recommendation to prioritize funding structure and ring-fence preventative work.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
As set out above, the government recognises the significant challenges facing the adult social care system and agrees that reform is essential. We agree with the committee that ‘doing nothing’ is not an option - and this government is committed to building a more sustainable, fair and effective social care system that meets the needs of the population. The committee’s report rightly highlights how previous attempts at reform have proved challenging. That is why the Prime Minister has appointed Baroness Casey to lead the independent commission. Baroness Casey is one of our country’s leading public service reformers and has earned her reputation as one of Whitehall’s greatest doers. She has proven experience in dealing with complex social issues, carrying out impactful reforms and driving national strategies. We understand the intention behind the recommendation to quantify the cost of inaction, and we agree that a robust evidence base is vital to inform the case for future reform. While the government does not intend to commission a dedicated study of this nature, we continue to commission a wide range of research and data, alongside working with partner organisations, to inform our approach to reform. DHSC regularly reviews its evidence needs, and commissions new research and evaluation to fill priority gaps, primarily through the NIHR. The NIHR is England’s largest funder of social care research and has a range of funding programmes including the Policy Research Programme, which funds high quality and cost-effective research to deliver relevant, timely and accessible evidence to inform national policy decisions across the health, care and public health systems. DHSC directly commissions a range of research through the Policy Research Programme and other NIHR programmes to respond to priority evidence needs and adult social care challenges. Recommendations for the independent commission Introduction We welcome the committee’s recommendations directed to the independent commission into adult social care. These recommendations will be a valuable resource for Baroness Casey as she leads this important work. Given the scale and complexity of the challenges facing adult social care, the government has deliberately given the commission a broad mandate. This allows Baroness Casey, one of our country’s leading public service reformers, to determine how best to engage with partner organisations, prioritise issues and shape the commission’s work - independent from political or departmental constraint. In that context, we have grouped together our response to the recommendations intended for the commission. This reflects the commission’s independence. However, many of the recommendations also touch on areas where the government is already taking action or where current policy is relevant. In these cases, we have provided a response now, both to offer clarity and to demonstrate how our immediate reforms address the committee’s recommendations. We are fully committed to supporting the commission as it works to build consensus on how best to meet the current and future needs of the population. The committee’s inquiry and recommendations will help inform that process, and the government looks forward to receiving Baroness Casey’s first report next year.