Webinar: What does the public think about social care?
New polling on the starting point for the Big Conversation on Care
Tuesday 8 September 2026, 12.00-13.15
Social care is currently at the centre of political debate. With prime minister Andy Burnham committed to reform and the Casey Commission launching its Big Conversation on Care, there is renewed attention on the future of social care in England.
Join this webinar sharing new research on public attitudes towards social care. We will set out insights into:
- how people view the current care system, including the standard of care, the provider market and government policy
- what people see as the key priorities for reform
- attitudes towards funding and workforce policy and different options for raising revenue to invest in social care.
The webinar will explore the starting point for the Big Conversation, with reflections from experts and audience discussion on the implications for policymakers.
Speakers
Lucinda is a Senior Policy Fellow at the Health Foundation.
Lucinda leads work on adult social care as part of the Foundation’s policy team, as well as contributing to a range of research on health care policy. Lucinda has particular interests in social care workforce policy and funding reform, international recruitment in the NHS and social care, and health care inequalities.
Lucinda first joined the Health Foundation as a Policy Intern in October 2018. Prior to working at the Health Foundation, Lucinda had roles at a migrant charity in North West London and in international development. She has an MSc in Migration Studies from the University of Oxford.
Safya Benniche is a Policy Officer at the Health Foundation, working across a broad range of projects.
Safya joined the Health Foundation in 2024. Prior to this, she was working as a research assistant at The King’s Fund, and she has also had roles at the UCL Institute for Child Health, and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. She has an MSc in Global Mental Health from King’s College London and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
A devoted advocate for inclusion and equality in health and social care, Clenton's work with TLAP, SCIE, the NHS Assembly, and the NHS Quality Board reflects his commitment to systemic transformation. Drawing from personal experiences, he speaks out against discrimination, aiming to break down barriers, amplify marginalised voices, and create an equitable society.
Chair
Tim Gardner is Deputy Director of Policy at the Health Foundation.
Tim joined the Health Foundation in 2014. He sits in the policy team, which works to analyse, understand, and inform national policies on health and social care in England.
Before he joined the Health Foundation, Tim spent over ten years at the Department of Health and Social Care working on policy and legislation in a variety of roles. This included work on NHS strategy, health and social care integration and the Government's response to the Francis Inquiry. Prior to that, he worked on NHS performance across a range of areas including primary care, cancer and mental health. He was also Secretary to the Departmental and NHS Management Boards and an Assistant Private Secretary to the Chief Medical Officer.
Tim has also spent time at NHS England and NHS Improvement, as well three years working on children's social care policy at the Department for Education. He has an MSc in Health Policy from Imperial College London.
