State of Care warns of a fast-changing social care market and persistent inequalities

State of Care is our annual assessment of health care and social care in England. It looks at trends, shares examples of good and outstanding care, and highlights where care needs to improve.

This year’s State of Care reports on a social care market in flux, changing shape rapidly but without a clear destination. Meanwhile, persistent inequalities across the whole health and care system mean people’s experience of care is fractured and heavily dependent on where they live and who they are.

Chris Badger, Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care and Integrated Care, said:

“Ten years ago, we warned that adult social care was approaching a tipping point. Successive governments have not resolved the issue of long-term funding for the sector. Now, this government’s renewed focus on social care offers an important opportunity for meaningful solutions in social care that improve outcomes across the whole health and care landscape – but only if reforms address workforce, funding, commissioning, prevention and inequalities together.”