Public invited to submit questions ahead of Trust Board meeting on adult social care
Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust will hold a Board of Directors meeting in public this Thursday 26 March 2026 at 5pm
At this meeting, which you can watch live online, the Board will consider plans that could change how adult social care is organised and delivered in Torbay.
The Board will consider whether to end the current arrangement for adult social care in Torbay.
This arrangement, known as a Section 75 agreement, allows health and social care services to be planned and delivered together. The paper being discussed sets out:
- The financial position of adult social care in Torbay
- The risks and challenges of the current arrangement
- What could happen if the agreement ends
- How services would continue during any transition.
It's important to note that no decision has been made at this stage. This meeting is where the Board will consider the options in public before deciding what to do next.
The box below shows how you can watch the meeting live and submit a question to the Board beforehand.
How to watch the meeting online
The meeting will be live streamed using Microsoft Teams. To join:
- Click the meeting link by clicking here
- Then choose one of the following options:
- “Watch on the web instead” (no download needed)
- “Launch the Teams app” (if already installed)
You can join without signing in by selecting “join anonymously”.
Important:
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Supported browsers: Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome
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Not supported: Internet Explorer, Safari or Firefox
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You can test the link in advance – you will see a message saying the event has not started yet
How to ask a question
Members of the public can submit questions in advance of the meeting:
- Email: tsdft.communicationsteam@nhs.net
- Subject line: “Board question”
- Deadline: 12 noon on Wednesday 25 March
Questions may be grouped by theme. Responses will be published after the meeting.
Torbay has a long-standing integrated care model, where the NHS and Torbay Council work closely together to deliver adult social care.
This has helped services to work more closely together, particularly around:
- Supporting people to leave hospital safely
- Providing care at home
- Coordinating support for people with complex needs.
Why a change is being considered
According to the Board papers:
- The Trust is now carrying the full financial risk for adult social care
- The cost of services is higher than the funding available
- This has created a significant financial gap.
Because of this, the Trust is reviewing whether the current arrangement is sustainable in the long term.
What could happen next
If the Board decides to end the agreement:
- A 12-month notice period would begin
- Services would continue during this time
- Responsibility for adult social care would move back to Torbay Council.
The Trust has stated that this would be a change to how services are organised, and not an intended change to individual care or support.
Why this is important for local people
Even though no immediate changes to care are planned, this decision could affect:
- How health and social care services work together
- How easy it is to access and navigate support
- How future changes are planned and communicated.
This is why public questions and feedback are important.
Stay informed
After the meeting, the Trust will publish:
- Responses to public questions
- A recording of the meeting
- Any decisions made by the Board.
Healthwatch will continue to share updates to help local people understand what this means for services in Torbay.
