Welcome to Torbay's Adult Social Care Local Account Summary for 2025/26. This report explains how Adult Social Care is supporting people in Torbay to live healthy, independent and fulfilling lives. It highlights the difference that services, carers, community organisations and partner agencies make every day, while being honest about the challenges we face and where we need to improve.
The report brings together information about the experiences and outcomes of people who draw on care and support, unpaid carers, local communities and our workforce. It reflects our commitment to being open and transparent about our performance and how we are working to ensure people receive the right support, at the right time, in the right way.
This report is informed by performance information, feedback from people with lived experience, carers, partners and staff, and learning from our quality assurance and improvement activity. Together, these insights help us understand what is working well and where we need to focus our efforts.
thriving communities where people can prosper
Our vision is for thriving communities where people can prosper. We want every resident to have a place to call home, be connected to their community, and be supported to achieve the outcomes that matter most to them through high-quality care and support.
During 2025/26, Adult Social Care continued to support people against a backdrop of rising demand, increasing complexity of need and ongoing financial pressures. Despite these challenges, we made significant progress in strengthening prevention and early intervention, expanding reablement and technology-enabled care, and improving access to support.
A significant milestone during the year was our first assessment under the Care Quality Commission's new assurance framework. Following the assessment in September 2025, Torbay received an overall rating of Good, recognising the commitment of our workforce, partners and communities to supporting people to achieve the outcomes that matter most to them. The final report was published in December 2025.
Following a decision made at the end of March 2026 by Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust to end the current Section 75 agreement, preparation is underway for the return of Adult Social Care functions from Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust to Torbay Council in April 2027. The Section 75 agreement is the legal partnership arrangement between Torbay Council, Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust and NHS Devon Integrated Care Board (ICB) that has enabled the integration of health and social care services across Torbay. Through shared governance, delegated responsibilities and pooled resources, the arrangement has supported the delivery of joined-up care and improved outcomes for local people. While this represents a significant organisational change, our focus remains unchanged: delivery of our statutory duties in supporting people to remain independent, connected to their communities and in control of their lives for as long as possible.
Throughout this report, you will find examples of the difference Adult Social Care is making across Torbay, the experiences of people who draw on support and care, and the priorities that will guide our improvement journey in the year ahead.