If you live in Torbay we would like to hear your views on our new Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

The Health and Wellbeing Board - Chaired by the Leader of the Council and, with partners including Healthwatch, the local NHS, police and voluntary sector – is launching the new Strategy, entitled ‘Our Healthy Neighbourhoods’. The Board wants to hear views from local residents.

David Thomas, Chair of the Torbay Health and Wellbeing Board and Leader of Torbay Council, said: “We are pleased to launch the new draft Health and Wellbeing Strategy which all members of the Health and Wellbeing Board, and our wider partners have been involved in.

“Our vision is for healthy neighbourhoods where everyone can live, work and thrive.

“Please take the time if you can to read the draft Strategy and let us know what you think – we’d love to hear from you."

The Strategy highlights our population needs as set out in the 2026 Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy. 

• These cover direct health issues such as obesity, suicide, the variation in health and wellbeing, and the gap in healthy life expectancy across the Bay. 
• They also cover issues which have an impact on our health, such as deprivation, employment, school absence, levels of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, levels of dependence on Adult Social Care, and the requirements of a rapidly ageing population. 

The Strategy sets out activities to tackle our population needs.

• These are actions that all partners should consider when developing strategy, or commissioning services, for our population.  They cover activities to tackle poverty, to intervene early to improve young people’s chances of good jobs and good health, focusing on enabling health and care, and working together with those who are intended to benefit when designing services. 

The draft Strategy also identifies 3 priority areas the Board will sponsor in year one. These are:

• Healthy spaces for children and young people: activities which build physical, mental and social health and wellbeing.
• Healthy work for working age people: activities which support people who are off work through ill-health, and for those furthest from employment.
• Healthy ageing for older adults: Age-friendly activities focusing on housing, transport and health.

The survey is available online and in paper form with copies available at local libraries, there will be opportunities for residents to speak to members of the Council’s Public Health team about the Strategy and the consultation.

The consultation runs from Monday 19 January to Sunday 8 February 2025.

There will be a drop in event at Paignton Library and Community Hub on Monday 19 January from 10am to 2pm where you can take a survey and speak to members of the Council’s Public Health team.

You can read the strategy on our website here.

Take the survey here.

Watch our video with Councillor David Thomas, Leader of the Council and Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board.