Morning, Thursday, 26th November 2026
Online
This conference will examine next steps for reforming adult social care in England.
It will bring stakeholders and policymakers together to discuss the next phase of adult social care policy and implementation, following the Government's decision to accelerate the Independent Commission on Adult Social Care, chaired by Baroness Casey, with its report now due in summer 2027, and its confirmation in July 2026 of the process for reaching a Fair Pay Agreement for the sector, alongside its commitment to a National Care Service.
Delegates will consider immediate practical questions for providers, commissioners, workforce representatives and those drawing on services, alongside longer-term issues relating to workforce capacity, regulation, funding, service integration and the future delivery model for personalised care.
National Care Service design, funding & inequalities
Attendees will assess potential models for organisation and finance of adult social care, including proposals for a National Care Service and options for delivering long-term reform, with discussion on approaches to eligibility, funding and provision, including lifetime care cost caps, changes to means-testing, state-funded personal care and more universal models.
Sessions will consider current funding pressures, including local authority overspends, issues around NHS continuing healthcare eligibility and associated cost-shifting, and provider market sustainability, as well as how different models could address immediate challenges. The agenda will explore the role of public engagement in shaping reform, including Baroness Casey’s Big Conversation on Care, and how the experiences of people drawing on care, unpaid carers and the wider workforce can inform future decisions on access, personalisation, independence, quality and service design.
With recent research published by the Care and Support Alliance highlighting local variation in access to support, the agenda will examine strategies for addressing inequalities, alongside implications of reform models for government, local authorities, providers, the workforce and service users, including questions of affordability, sustainability and public expectations.
Supporting workers & recognising unpaid carers
With the Adult Social Care Negotiating Body due to be established later this year, delegates will look at how the body will operate in practice, including the role of local government in providing affordability evidence, alongside funding considerations relating to pay reform and workforce sustainability.
Discussion will bring out latest thinking on strategies to improve recruitment, retention and conditions, including measures to develop a home-grown workforce following the closure of the care worker visa route to new overseas recruitment, and support meaningful career progression following Part 3 of the Care Workforce Pathway published in July 2026. Delegates will also consider the role of unpaid carers in supporting the sustainability of the care system, including priorities for improving recognition, support and respite provision.
Integrating health & social care
Integration between local authorities and NHS bodies will also be discussed, including priorities for improving coordination across health and social care services. This includes practical approaches to integrating social care workers into neighbourhood health teams, supporting care in community settings, and pathways towards a more preventative model, as outlined in the 10 Year Health Plan. The future role of the Better Care Fund in supporting more joined-up services will also be considered, alongside priorities for enabling connected digital systems and shared care records to support personalised and predictive care.
Regulatory reform, innovation & technology
Attendees will also assess regulatory priorities as the Care Quality Commission tests and refines its draft sector-specific assessment frameworks, following consultation earlier this year and with pilots running from June to October 2026. Delegates will consider how revised approaches could shape quality assessments across diverse care settings, while balancing consistency with proportionate and transparent regulation. The agenda will also explore the role of evidence, data and quality measures, as well as how regulation can support improvement, identify risks and maintain effective oversight.
Overview of areas for discussion
- system reform and strategic direction:
- implementation of adult social care reform in England - sequencing immediate improvements alongside longer-term transformation
- priorities for developing a National Care Service - governance, accountability, and delivery models - the role of national standards, local commissioning
- embedding lived experience in service design, commissioning, and evaluation
- funding and market sustainability - commissioning and fee rates - provider viability - the future of charging and the treatment of self-funders
- workforce sustainability, pay and sector capacity:
- implementation of the Fair Pay Agreement - preparations for negotiations in 2027 and the first agreement from April 2028 - funding and affordability
- the Adult Social Care Negotiating Body - operation, representation and the route to the first agreement
- recruitment and retention - addressing vacancy rates and turnover - building a domestic workforce pipeline
- training routes, apprenticeships, and career pathways - supporting progression and professionalisation
- integration, prevention and neighbourhood care:
- collaboration between local authorities and NHS bodies - shared accountability and joint planning
- integration of social care workers into neighbourhood health teams
- shifting towards prevention-focused models and alignment with the 10 Year Health Plan - priorities for Better Care Fund reform
- digital transformation, data and infrastructure:
- developing connected digital systems and shared care records across sectors - enabling predictive and personalised care through data use
- strengthening digital literacy across the workforce - training, support, and adoption strategies
- regulatory priorities:
- developing responsive, proportionate assessment approaches which incorporate sector expertise
- reducing administrative burden on providers - implications of removing numerical scoring and moving to holistic professional judgement
- innovation and technology implementation:
- applications of AI and emerging technologies in care planning, monitoring, and administration
- enabling technology to support prevention, independence and quality of life outcomes
