Adult social care in Torbay under review as NHS trust says current model is “no longer financially sustainable”

Adult social care arrangements in Torbay are under review, with Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust warning the current model is no longer financially sustainable.

In an open letter to residents, patients, carers and staff, Joe Teape, Chief Executive of Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, said it is reviewing its long-standing Section 75 partnership with Torbay Council, under which the Trust delivers adult social care services on the council’s behalf.

The Trust said Torbay has “been recognised nationally for its integrated approach to health and social care” and described the partnership as “something we are genuinely proud of”.

However, it said demand for adult social care continues to grow, particularly in Torbay, which has a larger older population than many other areas.

The Trust said: “Over the past three years, the cost of providing adult social care has increased by around 48%. This is far more than we are funded for as an NHS Trust and far more than Torbay Council pays us for delivering adult social care.”

It added that work carried out so far shows “the gap between the cost of delivering adult social care and the funding available is around £35 million each year”, noting that the figure will continue to be “tested and validated” as the review progresses.

Describing the situation as unsustainable, the Trust said: “As an NHS Foundation Trust we have a statutory duty to break even and we cannot do that with such a significant shortfall in adult social care funding.”

It warned that covering the gap puts “real pressure on our ability to invest in other NHS services — in our hospitals, our community teams and in the services that support people to stay well at home”.

The Trust said the review is “not about ending partnership working”, but about “resetting and re-establishing the partnership so we can build a new, more effective agreement with Torbay Council — one that is sustainable, fair and focused firmly on improving outcomes for local people”.

It confirmed that no decisions have yet been made and said a final decision is expected at a Trust Board meeting held in public on 5 March 2026.

The letter also highlighted that Adult Social Care teams were recently rated ‘Good’ by the Care Quality Commission, but said: “A model can be high-quality and still financially unsustainable - and that is the challenge we are now working through together.”

Addressing concerns about potential change, the Trust said that if notice were served on the Section 75 agreement, there would be a 12-month notice period. During that time, it said work would take place “to plan any transition carefully” so that “people continue to receive the care they depend on” and disruption is kept to a minimum.

The Trust added that if Torbay were to move to the model used elsewhere in Devon, Torbay Council would take direct responsibility for adult social care again, with services continuing to be coordinated between organisations.

The Trust said it remains committed to “working openly, respectfully and constructively with all our partners” and to listening to people who use services, families, carers, staff and partners as discussions continue.