Reviewing the future of the adult social care partnership in Torbay
You might have seen some stories in news recently about our plans to review our partnership with Torbay Council to provide adult social care services. We feel it’s important to tell you what is happening and what we are doing.
For more than 15 years, adult social care in Torbay has been delivered through a Section 75 agreement between the NHS and the council, which has enabled closer integration between health and social care teams.
The financial context has, however, changed significantly, and we are now carrying all the financial risk for adult social care and costs exceeding funding by around £35 million per annum.
We’re proud of what our integrated model has achieved, and the Care Quality Commission’s recent Good rating for Adult Social Care reflects the dedication of our teams, but the financial pressures are real and growing. We have a duty to balance our budget and deliver safe services for our population, not just today but for the long term. This is why we’re reviewing the Section 75 arrangement as part of our ongoing efforts to ensure services remain safe, high-quality and are financially-sustainable.
No decisions have been made yet and our priority remains continuity of care and support for our staff and communities. We know how important these services are and we take our responsibilities seriously, but our focus is on making sure that whatever happens, people continue to get the care and support they need. We’ll keep working closely with our partners to do what’s right for Torbay and South Devon.
If the review leads to a decision to give 12 months’ notice on the contract, following the conclusion of the notice period the responsibility for delivering adult social care would transfer back to Torbay Council, mirroring arrangements already in place across the rest of Devon. Any change would be to contractual and financial arrangements, not to the quality or continuity of care.
Our recent investments in Torbay Hospital and community services—including the £14.2 million Emergency Department redevelopment and The Harbour community frailty service—demonstrate our ongoing commitment to strengthening care locally.
Once we’ve made a decision, we will make sure you hear it from us first.
You can read our statement on our website: Reviewing the future of the adult social care partnership in Torbay