The Department of Health and Social Care, detailed a series of new measures aimed at reforming adult social care. These measures include immediate financial investments, and the establishment of an independent commission tasked with guiding long-term reforms.

The government has allocated an additional £86 million to this year's Disabled Facilities Grant, increasing the total annual funding to £711 million. This investment is intended to support home adaptations for about 7,800 disabled and elderly people, facilitating more independent living and potentially reducing the need for hospital care.

The initiative also focuses on integrating advanced technology into care services to help older adults remain at home longer. Efforts to streamline operations and maximise the effectiveness of joint NHS and social care funding are also outlined.

Additionally, the plan addresses career development for care workers, including enhanced training opportunities that enable them to perform routine health checks at home. These measures are designed to improve job satisfaction and retention among care workers, while also aiming to enhance care quality for recipients.

Baroness Louise Casey has been appointed to chair a new independent commission, known as the Casey Commission, which will examine the current state of adult social care and propose future reforms. This commission is expected to work with a broad range of stakeholders to identify effective improvements to the care system.

The commission will collect insights from service users, their families, care providers, and others involved in social care. Its mandate includes developing recommendations that address both immediate and future needs within the adult social care sector.

The government has outlined a phased approach for the commission’s work. The initial phase will focus on identifying key challenges and opportunities for short-term improvements, set to conclude in 2026. The second phase, expected to finish by 2028, will aim to offer a longer-term vision and structural reforms needed to support an aging population.

These announcements represent a planned approach by the government to address current challenges in the adult social care system and to lay the groundwork for future improvements. The measures include financial investments, technological integration, workforce support, and the establishment of a commission to explore deep-seated reforms.