One of the biggest lessons from the past is that reform cannot simply be legislated into existence. The report makes clear that national infrastructure is needed to make lasting improvements.
The Casey Commission offers a genuine opportunity to change course. But building a National Care Service will take more than a bold vision and a sustainable funding settlement. It will require a serious, long-term commitment to helping a complex and fragmented sector deliver better, more equitable social care which will improve people’s lives.
Among the lessons for reform cited in the report is the important role of an independent, credible organisation like SCIE, trusted by the care sector, to lead sector improvement and innovation. The report calls for enhancing this role and strengthening its place as part of the National Care Service’s core infrastructure.
We’re at a turning point for social care, and reinforcing the foundations for lasting improvement must be at the heart of the government’s plans. SCIE stands ready to play its part in driving this ambition forward. Our work developing national standards of care, which will establish greater consistency and fairness as part of a National Care Service, shows that we need not wait for policy reforms to begin tackling the care system’s myriad challenges, such as inequitable access to care.
Gerard Crofton-Martin
Interim Chief Executive of the Social Care Institute for Excellence
SCIE evidence cited
• ‘Towards a National Care Service: raising national standards of care’ (published January 2026)
If you have any questions in relation to this release, please contact George Appleton, Head of External Affairs, george.appleton@scie.org.uk