Health partnership ends 'due to £34m funding gap'

A pioneering partnership to deliver care for elderly and disabled people will be terminated due to a £34m funding gap, a health trust said.

The Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust (TSDFT) has been working with Torbay Council for more than 20 years but said it could not afford to continue the partnership.

The trust acknowledged that change "brings uncertainty" but said it would be working with the council on a programme of transition.

Torbay Council, which will take back responsibility for social care from April 2027, said there would be no immediate changes to anyone's care.

A report from the trust said the actual gap between income and expenditure in 2025/26 was £33.7m.

It said the difference was driven by "both volume and cost" with demand attributed to "Torbay's older population, high prevalence of learning disabilities and other complex needs, and high levels of deprivation".

The integrated care deal had previously been credited with success in freeing up hospital beds.

But the report said a review had found the arrangement was now "inefficient and expensive" with "the benefits of integration having been lost over time".

The leader of Torbay Council, Dave Thomas, said he was "really disappointed" by the health trust's decision.

He said the council's main priority now was "to make sure residents continue to receive appropriate care and support throughout this period".

He added: "Although change brings challenges, it also offers the chance to shape services that reflect our vision for thriving communities where people prosper.

"We will use this opportunity to build strong, high‑quality services and deliver better outcomes for our residents."

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