Commission on the Future of Health and Social Care in England

The King's Fund has launched a major review of health and social care under the leadership of an independent commission chaired by Kate Barker. The context for the review is a population in which people are living longer but often with long-term conditions, such as diabetes, heart failure and dementia. The Commission will look at the Future of Health and Social Care in England to consider whether the boundary between health and social care should be redrawn by revisiting the post-war settlement and asking fundamental questions about whether it is still fit for purpose. The Commission intends to re-examine the terms of the post-war settlement which established the NHS as a universal service, free at the point of use, and social care as a separately funded means-tested service.

Chris Ham, chief executive of The King's Fund, said: "The NHS and social care system have remained separate since their inception in 1948. Sixty-five years on, the needs of patients and service-users have changed and the world is a very different place. The time has come to return to first principles and ask whether the current arrangements are fit for purpose."

Kate Barker, who will be chairing the Commission, said: "The issues we will be considering go to the very heart of the debate about how best to organise health and social care. I look forward to working with my fellow commissioners to consider whether, and if so how, the current settlement should be re-shaped to meet better the needs of 21st century patients and service-users."