Baroness Casey Calls for Urgency

For those of us in Norfolk’s social care community, Baroness Louise Casey’s recent evidence to the Health and Social Care Select Committee (24th June 2026) contained two significant takeaways.

Baroness Casey indicated that she is open to bringing forward the final recommendations of the independent adult social care commission. While the original terms of reference set a deadline of by 2028, she suggested that an earlier publication is possible. She also highlighted dementia and motor neurone disease care as areas requiring particularly urgent action.

Baroness Casey strongly opposed a key provision in the draft Health Bill currently making its way through Parliament. The Bill proposes removing the mandatory requirement for local authority representatives to sit on Integrated Care Board (ICB) Boards. Instead, it would require ICBs to include members nominated by regional mayoral strategic authorities.

The government argues this simplifies governance and reduces conflicts of interest, allowing ICBs to make strategic commissioning decisions more efficiently. However, Casey – and the National Care Forum – argue the opposite. She warned that if the government is serious about a preventative ‘left shift’ and embedding Neighbourhood Health, then local authorities (and therefore social care) must remain key partners to ICBs.

The Bill also repeals the requirement for ICBs to establish Integrated Care Partnerships (ICPs) – joint committees that previously brought the NHS and local councils together to set local integrated care strategies.

For Norfolk, where strong partnership working between health and social care is vital, these proposed changes could risk sidelining voices that understand local needs best.

Norfolk Care Association will continue to monitor this draft legislation closely and feed into sector-wide responses, ensuring the perspective of Norfolk’s providers is heard loud and clear.