Support guaranteed: The roadmap to a National Care Service

Since 2010 care and support in England has gone downhill fast and we now face an adult social care emergency. Extra formal care is needed to help address a looming shortfall in the availability of family carers. More care spending will also help tackle worsening labour shortages by boosting employment opportunities for carers and disabled people. 

But extra spending is not enough. Money must come with reform. Creating a National Care Service would lead to a transformation in care and support in England. Under a National Care Service, the NHS and adult social care should remain separate though interconnected services. Local government should lead delivery, with national government only exercising new functions where this is essential. Councils would continue to work with independent providers, which would face stronger expectations and requirements. 

UNISON believes the National Care Service should be guided by 10 principles: 

1. Choice and control for individuals 
and their families.  

2. Local and place-based.

3. Nationally consistent.

4. Accessible. 

5. For everyone. 

6. Preventative. 

7. Relationship-based. 

8. Rights-based. 

9. High quality and diverse.

10. Connected.