Social care insiders have often presented their field as a Cinderella, living in the shadow of a big-bucks, high profile NHS. But this seemed to change in 2008. Suddenly there was new interest in social care. It was getting attention from Whitehall, from the prime minister – and even from the press. There was talk of a new confidence and energy from its leaders and in 2008 was described by the social care minister as the most profoundly important year in its generation.

There is perhaps an even more fundamental point to consider in relation to the future of health and social care. There is now increasing talk of social care making a ‘universal Whose personalisation? offer’ of advice and information to all service users as its funding comes under review.