Adult Social Care Briefing
Issue 013 | 24 September 2026
This weekly briefing highlights significant developments affecting home managers, registered managers and senior leaders of adult social care services for older people in England, with a focus on what has changed, why it matters and what providers should be considering in practice.
This Week’s Headline
Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag Deadline Is Now Less Than a Week Away
The deadline for full implementation of the Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag (RADF) remains 30 September 2026 for NHS and publicly funded health and social care services in England. The flag is a national, visible marker on a person's record which identifies reasonable adjustments they may require when accessing publicly funded health and social care services. NHS England confirms that organisations within scope must have processes to identify, record, flag, share, meet, review and update reasonable adjustment needs. By 30 September 2026, organisations within scope must be able to share, read and write reasonable adjustment information via NHS England’s National Care Records Service.
What Has Changed?
The standard itself is not new this week, but the compliance deadline is now immediate.
There has been some confusion within the sector about the deadline following proposed changes during August and September. The current published deadline for full compliance remains 30 September 2026. The requirement applies to NHS and other health and social care services that are publicly funded, including independent and voluntary-sector organisations providing publicly funded services.
Why It Matters
Providers need to consider both their internal arrangements for reasonable adjustments and their readiness to share this information through the national system.
NHS England describes implementation in two phases.
Phase 1 requires organisations to use their own systems and processes to identify, record, flag, share, meet, review and update reasonable adjustment information locally.
Phase 2 requires organisations to ensure their technical systems and software suppliers have engaged with NHS England to begin technical integration with the Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag through the National Care Records Service.
Providers therefore need assurance about their own processes, staff awareness and recording arrangements, as well as clarity about the readiness of their digital systems and software suppliers.
Actions for Providers
Confirm whether the services provided by the organisation fall within scope, particularly where placements or care packages are publicly funded.
Identify who is accountable for implementation and oversight.
Check whether current care-record systems can identify and clearly flag reasonable adjustments and whether staff know where this information should be recorded.
Confirm with software suppliers what arrangements are in place for RADF integration and whether they have registered their software on NHS England's national supplier interest list.
Review how reasonable adjustments are identified on admission, assessment and review, including communication requirements, accessible information, sensory needs, environmental adjustments, additional time and support from carers or advocates.
Check that records describe the reasonable adjustment required rather than simply recording a diagnosis, disability or impairment.
Review information-sharing arrangements.
The updated standard uses implied consent for sharing information through the flag. People can object to their information being shared, and the Mental Capacity Act 2005 should be considered where capacity is relevant.
Maintain evidence of implementation, including actions taken, staff awareness and engagement with digital system suppliers.
Future of Adult Social Care
Independent Commission Begins Recruitment for Public Panel on Care
The Independent Commission on Adult Social Care, chaired by Baroness Louise Casey of Blackstock, announced on 21 September that households across England were being invited to register for its Public Panel on Care. The panel forms part of the Commission's wider Big Conversation on Care.
Around 125 people will ultimately be selected from those who register. Participants will meet in person and online between November 2026 and April 2027.
What Has Changed?
The announcement marks a further stage in the Commission's evidence-gathering work.
Households have been selected at random and people aged 18 and over living at an invited address can register an interest. The final panel will be selected to broadly reflect the population of England.
The panel will consider questions about what care is, who should receive it and how care should be funded.
Registration closes on 11 October 2026.
Why It Matters
The Independent Commission was established to make recommendations about the future of adult social care in England.
The Public Panel is one part of its evidence-gathering programme and will contribute public views and experiences to the Commission's work.
For providers, the Commission remains an important development to follow as its evidence gathering progresses and recommendations begin to emerge.
At this stage, the Public Panel does not represent a change in government policy or funding arrangements.
Actions for Providers
Continue to follow the Commission's evidence-gathering work and opportunities for sector engagement.
Consider what organisational evidence could contribute to future consultations or calls for evidence, particularly around demand, outcomes, workforce, commissioning and integration with health services.
Include evidence from people using services, families and frontline staff when contributing to consultations where appropriate.
Distinguish between evidence being considered by the Commission, recommendations subsequently made by the Commission and any future government policy decisions.
Data and Planning
October Will Bring Two Significant National Social Care Data Releases
DHSC has confirmed that the Adult Social Care Activity Report 2025 to 2026 and Adult Social Care Finance Report 2025 to 2026 will be published on 22 October 2026.
The activity report will include national information on requests for support, provision of care services and reviews of care and support plans.
The finance report will provide information on adult social care expenditure and income in councils with adult social services responsibilities, including long- and short-term care.
Why It Matters
These are national statistical publications rather than new provider reporting requirements.
Together, the reports will provide updated information about demand for adult social care, the support being provided and local authority expenditure and income.
For providers, the findings may provide useful context alongside local information about demand, commissioning activity, fees and service development.
Actions for Providers
Review the publications when released and consider both national findings and relevant local authority data where available.
Consider the findings alongside organisational information on referrals, occupancy, dependency, workforce and service demand.
Use relevant evidence to support strategic planning and commissioning discussions where appropriate.
Leadership Reflection
This week's most immediate operational priority is the Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag deadline on 30 September.
Providers within scope need assurance that reasonable adjustments can be identified, recorded, reviewed and shared appropriately, alongside clarity from digital system suppliers about national integration arrangements.
The work of the Independent Commission on Adult Social Care is also moving further into evidence gathering. As this develops, providers will need to distinguish between emerging discussion, recommendations made by the Commission and confirmed government policy.
The October activity and finance publications will provide further national evidence on demand, provision and local authority expenditure. These should be considered alongside local and organisational information when reviewing service demand, commissioning and future planning.
Five Things I'd Be Thinking About This Week
Are we on track to meet the Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag requirements by 30 September?
Have we confirmed our digital system supplier's position on RADF integration?
Can we evidence how reasonable adjustments are identified, recorded, communicated, reviewed and met in practice?
Are we following the Independent Commission on Adult Social Care and identifying relevant opportunities to contribute evidence?
Are we ready to use the October activity and finance data alongside our own information when reviewing demand, commissioning and future planning?
Sources
NHS England — What is the Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag?Accessed 24 September 2026 https://www.england.nhs.uk/learning-disabilities/improving-health/what-is-the-reasonable-adjustment-digital-flag/
NHS England — The Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag action checklist: what you need to do to achieve complianceAccessed 24 September 2026 https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/the-reasonable-adjustment-digital-flag-action-checklist-what-you-need-to-do-to-achieve-compliance/
NHS England Digital — Reasonable Adjustment FlagAccessed 24 September 2026 https://digital.nhs.uk/services/patient-flags-service/reasonable-adjustment-flag
NHS England Digital — DAPB4019: Reasonable Adjustment Digital FlagAccessed 24 September 2026 https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/information-standards/governance/latest-activity/standards-and-collections/dapb4019-reasonable-adjustment-digital-flag
Department of Health and Social Care — Thousands invited to register for Public Panel for Independent Commission on Adult Social CarePublished 21 September 2026 https://www.gov.uk/government/news/thousands-invited-to-register-for-public-panel-for-independent-commission-on-adult-social-care
Department of Health and Social Care — Adult Social Care Activity Report, England: 2025 to 2026Publication scheduled for 22 October 2026 https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/announcements/adult-social-care-activity-report-england-2025-to-2026
Department of Health and Social Care — Adult Social Care Finance Report, England: 2025 to 2026Publication scheduled for 22 October 2026 https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/announcements/adult-social-care-finance-report-england-2025-to-2026
Editorial Note
This briefing covers material developments reviewed between 18 and 24 September 2026.
The Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag information standard predates this reporting period but is included because its 30 September 2026 full-compliance deadline is now less than one week away and remains the current published deadline.
The Independent Commission Public Panel is part of an evidence-gathering process. It does not represent a government policy decision or indicate what the Commission will ultimately recommend.
The Adult Social Care Activity Report and Adult Social Care Finance Report are scheduled national statistical publications. They do not introduce new reporting requirements for individual adult social care providers.
The Why It Matters, Actions for Providers, Leadership Reflection and Five Things I'd Be Thinking About This Week sections contain professional interpretation and practical considerations based on the verified source material.
Looking Ahead
30 September — Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag full-compliance deadline
NHS and publicly funded health and social care providers within scope are required to achieve full implementation of the information standard by this date.
11 October — Public Panel on Care registration closes
People living in households that have received an invitation to participate in the Independent Commission's Public Panel on Care have until 11 October to register their interest.
22 October — Adult Social Care Activity and Finance reports
DHSC is scheduled to publish the 2025/26 national activity and finance reports, providing updated information on adult social care activity, expenditure and income.
If there is a regulatory update, guidance document or sector issue you would like featured in a future edition of the Adult Social Care Briefing, I'd be pleased to hear from you.
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