What Torbay’s ‘good’ adult care rating really means for local families

The way Torbay cares for its adults has been given an official thumbs up.

The Care Quality Commission has rated Torbay’s adult social care services as ‘good’ following an inspection in September, reflecting strong performance in co-production, integration, and person-centred care.

Just over two years ago, CQC was given new powers to inspect and intervene with councils on their social care provision to make sure people get the best quality care and support.

This is the first time adult social care services in Torbay have received a holistic assessment under these powers. 

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Adult social care is provided by Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust on behalf of Torbay Council as part of the Integrated Care Partnership.

CQC uses a four-point rating system: outstanding, good, requires improvement and inadequate. Torbay has been rated as ‘good’ across all areas.

The inspection covered four main themes:

• Working with people – looking at assessing needs, Supporting people to live healthier lives, Equity in experiences and outcomes
• Providing Support – Care provision, integration, and continuity, Partnerships and communities
• Ensuring Safety – Safe systems, pathways and transitions
• Leadership and Workforce – Governance, management and sustainability, Learning, improvement and innovationCllr Hayley Tranter, cabinet member for adult social care, public health, inequalities and communities, said: “I would like to congratulate and thank all those who work in the service locally, all our partners across the NHS, our commissioned care providers and community and voluntary sector, and also all the people who access our services who took the time to speak to the CQC during their visit and share their own thoughts on our services.

“Our vision is for thriving communities where people prosper, and while we know there is always more room for improvement, this Good rating gives us the confidence to take what we already do well and build on this to continue to improve.

“I am so pleased that the CQC have recognised the benefits of the integrated way that we work with our NHS partners, building on our 20-year journey to provide seamless community services for the people of Torbay. This sets Torbay up well for the future development of neighbourhood based teams working in line with the Department of Health and social care 10 year plan.”

Anna Coles, director of adult and community services for Torbay Council, said: “I would like to say a huge thank-you to all our colleagues at the council, at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, and all our care and support providers and partner organisations.

“This good rating is testament to everyone’s hard work preparing for the CQC inspection, on top of their already incredibly busy day jobs. The CQC praised the support we give unpaid carers, work on our emergency duty services, the support we give people with mental health challenges, and our integrated care services.

“Our adult social care strategy will also support our vision for a happy, healthy and prosperous Torbay, as outlined in our community and corporate plan.

“We know we have more to do, including some challenges with waiting lists and times and reviewing the needs of people as often as we would like to. We will be approaching this with renewed energy and enthusiasm and building on all the work we have already done.”

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust chief executive Joe Teape said: “I am so proud of our people who work tirelessly to ensure people in Torbay receive adult social care swiftly and with compassion.

“Our people are committed to doing all they can to ensure people receive the care they need, in their home and in their community, supported by technology. I am so pleased that our work to reduce avoidable hospital admissions and to get people discharged and back home quickly was described as excellent.”

Key findings from CQC include:

Key strengths:

• Positive experiences and co-production - people and unpaid carers reported universally positive experiences, with carers expressing very high satisfaction.
• Integrated and collaborative working - deep integration with health services under a Section 75 agreement since 2005, enabling joined-up care and shared resources. Strong partnerships with the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector, embedded at the “front door” and in strategic planning.
• Strength-based and person-centred practice - assessments were described as person-centered and strength-based, focusing on independence and long-term goals.
• Positive outcomes: 78.8 per cent of people regained full independence after reablement; 75 per cent returned home without ongoing support.
• Prevention and early intervention - effective arrangements to prevent, delay, or reduce care needs, including community-based support and welfare advice.
• Strong focus on hospital discharge and recovery at home, supported by a new reablement facility.
• Workforce and sustainability - positive recruitment and retention, low vacancy rates (4.7 per cent vs national 8.06 per cent, and strong team culture.
• Governance and leadership - recent improvements in visibility and responsiveness of social care leadership under the new director of adult social services.
• Safeguarding and safety - effective safeguarding systems and multi-agency partnerships.

 Areas for improvement:

• Waiting times and reviews - significant backlog in care plan reviews: 916 people waiting as of September 2025, with median waits of 190 days.
• Direct payments - low uptake among people with care needs (19.33 per cent vs national 25.48 per cent) due to complicated systems and employer responsibilities.
• Specialist provision and capacity - gaps in provision for people with complex mental health needs, learning disabilities, and dual diagnosis.
• Transition planning - transition from children’s to adult services not always proactive; some young people missed out on support.
• Alternatives to bed based care - High proportion of people entering residential care
• Equity and inclusion - inclusion and EDI work was new and not yet embedded.
• Digital infrastructure and data - outdated and fragmented IT systems undermined data accuracy and slowed practice.