Will there be a National Care Service? MPs quiz Baroness Casey and Minister
The possible creation of a National Care Service will be examined by the Health and Social Care Committee, as MPs question Baroness Casey, Care Minister Stephen Kinnock and senior officials.
Meeting details
This evidence session will see the cross-party Committee question the witnesses on their thinking, ahead of Baroness Casey publishing the ‘phase one’ report of her Independent Commission later this year.
The Commission launched in April 2025 and a full report is due to be published in 2028. Top of its terms of reference is looking into the Labour Party manifesto pledge of creating a National Care Service.
She was also tasked by the Prime Minister with producing policy recommendations that will “remain affordable” within Spending Review cycles and be implemented over the course of a decade.
MPs will be interested to hear Baroness Casey’s current thinking about the shape of a future National Care Service, and the national conversation that may be needed on how it will be paid for. There may be questions on her view that more immediate government action is needed on safeguarding, dementia and motor neurone disease.
In the second panel, Minister Kinnock and senior officials will be questioned on the Government’s current attitude towards creating a National Care Service, and how it will communicate forthcoming proposals to the public and care sector.
The Minister will be questioned on what the Government is doing to tackle the divides between health and local authority-run care services. A lack of coordination is known to exacerbate hospital bed shortages due to delayed discharges when care services don’t have capacity for those needing ongoing care.
MPs are also likely to raise workforce shortages in care services, pay levels, and how costs are distributed between the NHS and local authorities.