Councils have warned that the social care sector is ‘likely to deteriorate’ during the three-year wait for the findings of a new independent commission.
The Government announced today it was launching the commission, chaired by Baroness Louise Casey, to ‘make clear recommendations for how to rebuild the adult social care system’, including how to structure a new National Care Service.
The commission’s work will be divided into two phases, with medium-term recommendations next year but final proposals not due until 2028.
The County Councils Network said it was concerned that ‘vital’ changes to a system already under significant pressure would not be made for at least three years.
Adult social care spokesperson Martin Tett urged the Government to give councils long-term funding to stabilise the system in the next spending review. He warned that the National Care Service could otherwise ‘fall at the first hurdle’.
The District Councils’ Network also stressed that the timescale for reform meant social care’s ‘crippling’ financial problems would ‘not be resolved any time soon’.
The group said it was ‘odd’ for the Government to push ahead with local government reorganisation before deciding whether social care services will be transferred to a National Care Service or remain run by councils.
Chairman Sam Chapman-Allen said: ‘The danger is that we build a system of local government which is remote from communities with much of any rationale for creating mega councils immediately being superseded by the creation of the National Care Service.’
