Listening to our communities

Torbay Hospital remains at the heart of acute healthcare for the people of Torbay and South Devon. Every day, the hospital provides urgent and emergency care, planned treatment, specialist services, diagnostics, maternity care and support for local people with serious and complex health needs.

Torbay Hospital matters deeply to the people and communities we serve. We understand why people want reassurance about its future. It matters.

Hospitals remain essential for a wide range of services that can only be delivered in an acute setting. At the same time, some care is increasingly being provided closer to people’s homes or in community settings where this is safe, effective and better for patients. This includes some outpatient care which, under the NHS 10 Year Health Plan, is expected to be provided closer to people’s homes and communities where this is appropriate for patients.

Torbay Hospital remains part of the national New Hospital Programme and, as planning continues for our new hospital, we continue to invest in our existing facilities. This year we completed a £14.2 million redevelopment of our Emergency Department, expanded our maternity triage facilities and opened a new birthing pool suite. Current building projects include the refurbishment of our day theatres, the relocation of the Surgical Admission Unit from Level 7 to Level 5, and the expansion of our Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS) department, which is due to open in January 2027.

We are also investing in the infrastructure that supports the hospital. This includes a new electrical substation behind the TREC building which will improve the site’s electrical capacity and resilience for years to come.

Healthcare services change over time in response to clinical evidence, technology, workforce requirements and patient need. Where changes are proposed, they are considered on their individual merits and must demonstrate benefits for patients and communities.

The future of healthcare in Torbay and South Devon is not about choosing between hospitals and community services. We will continue to need both. Torbay Hospital will remain an important part of the local health and care system alongside community, primary care, mental health, voluntary services and social care services.

We continue to invest in healthcare services, facilities, technology and equipment across Torbay and South Devon to improve care for patients today and help meet the needs of future generations.

Some of this investment is happening in our communities. Last year we launched The Harbour, our community frailty service based at Newton Abbot Community Hospital, bringing together healthcare professionals to provide assessment, treatment and support for older people living with frailty. By helping people receive the right care at the right time, services such as The Harbour can improve patient experience and help maintain independence at home. We have recently approved further investment to expand the service so that more people can benefit from this approach.

We are also investing in bringing more care and diagnostics closer to where people live. This autumn we expect to launch a new community X-ray vehicle, helping patients access imaging services closer to home. Work is also underway to develop new ophthalmology diagnostic facilities in the Newton Abbot area, making it easier for patients to access eye care diagnostics without needing to travel to Torbay Hospital.

Investment is not limited to buildings and facilities. On 03 April 2026 we introduced Epic, a new electronic patient record system which is now shared by all acute hospitals in Devon. For us, Epic replaced more than 100 separate systems, including what had become the oldest patient administration system (PAS) in the country.

Epic brings information together into a single patient record, helping colleagues access the information they need to support patient care. Patients can also access their information through MY CARE, which is linked to the NHS App, making it easier to view appointments, access information and manage their care online. MY CARE also offers proxy access, allowing carers and family members to support people who need help managing their healthcare.

We are also investing in advanced medical technology. This includes the continued expansion of robotic-assisted surgery, enabling our surgical teams to use the latest technology to undertake an increasing range of procedures and helping to improve outcomes and recovery times for some patients.

At Torbay Hospital, recent investments include a £14.2 million redevelopment of our Emergency Department, expanded maternity triage facilities and a new birthing pool suite. Current projects include the refurbishment of our day theatres, the relocation of the Surgical Admission Unit from Level 7 to Level 5, and the expansion of our Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS) department, which is due to open in January 2027.

Our two major capital priorities for this year and next are the refurbishment of our cardiac catheterisation laboratories and the development of a new aseptic pharmacy facility. These projects will help support cardiac services and the preparation of treatments, including chemotherapy, for patients across Torbay and South Devon.

Torbay Hospital remains part of the national New Hospital Programme and, as planning continues for our future hospital, we are also continuing to invest in our existing facilities so that patients and staff benefit from improvements now as well as in the years ahead.

We are also investing in the infrastructure that supports the hospital. This includes a new electrical substation behind the TREC building, which will improve the site’s electrical capacity and resilience and support future developments.

Investment is being made across our hospitals, community services, technology and infrastructure because improving healthcare is about more than buildings alone. It is about ensuring local people can access safe, high-quality care in the right place, both now and in the future.

Torbay Hospital remains part of the national New Hospital Programme. The programme has been reorganised into a series of delivery waves, and Torbay and South Devon is currently included in Wave 2, with a planned construction window between 2032 and 2035.

We know that can feel a long way off, particularly given the age and condition of some of our existing buildings. While planning continues for the future hospital, we are continuing to invest in our current estate to ensure patients and colleagues benefit from improvements now.

Recent investments include the £14.2 million redevelopment of our Emergency Department, improvements to maternity facilities and a number of ongoing projects including the refurbishment of our day theatres, relocation of the Surgical Admission Unit, expansion of our Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery department and improvements to the hospital’s electrical infrastructure.

We are also continuing to explore all available funding opportunities that could help address estate challenges and improve our facilities before a new hospital is delivered. This includes seeking national, regional and local sources of capital funding where opportunities arise, while ensuring we make the best possible use of the resources available to us.

The New Hospital Programme remains important to the long-term future of healthcare in Torbay and South Devon. We will continue to share updates as the national programme and local planning work progresses.

No. There are currently no proposals to change Emergency Department services at Torbay Hospital.

Our Emergency Department continues to provide 24/7 urgent and emergency care for people across Torbay and South Devon. Earlier this year we completed a £14.2 million redevelopment of the department.

If proposals were to be brought forward by NHS commissioners that could affect our Emergency Department, we would ensure information was shared openly and that colleagues, governors and local people were able to have their say through the relevant engagement and consultation processes.

No. There are currently no proposals to move the cardiology services provided at Torbay Hospital to Exeter.

We continue to invest in our local cardiac services, with the refurbishment of our cardiac catheter laboratories being one of our two major capital priorities for this year and next.

Like many NHS services, cardiology teams work closely with colleagues across Devon and the wider Peninsula to ensure people can access specialist expertise when needed. Working with other NHS organisations does not mean services are being moved away from Torbay.

Cellular pathology services help diagnose disease and support patient care, including cancer services, surgery and other specialist treatments.

At Torbay Hospital, the cellular pathology laboratory is currently based in a temporary building that is more than 40 years old and has reached the end of its working life. Moving the service to Gadeon House will provide modern facilities that are better suited to the needs of a modern pathology service.

We know some people are concerned about what this means for patient care. The move relates to where the laboratory is based, not where patients receive their treatment. Patients will continue to receive cancer care, surgery and other treatments at Torbay Hospital, and arrangements will remain in place to support urgent and time-critical care. Urgent and time-critical pathology services needed to support patient care at Torbay Hospital will continue to be provided on site.

Cellular pathology is just one part of pathology services. We are also working with NHS partners on a business case exploring opportunities for blood sciences and microbiology services to support sustainable pathology services for the future. No decisions have been made about any future arrangements for these services. Whatever decisions are taken in the future, pathology services needed to support urgent and time-critical patient care at Torbay Hospital, will continue to be provided on site.

Further information:

• Pathology and Gadeon House questions and answers
• Trust statement on the future of pathology services and the move to Gadeon House

Community hospitals continue to play an important role in healthcare across Torbay and South Devon.

Many people receive rehabilitation, outpatient care, diagnostics and other healthcare services closer to home through community hospitals and community-based services. For many patients, these services can provide care in a more convenient setting and help people maintain their independence.

At the same time, healthcare is changing. The NHS 10 Year Health Plan describes a shift from hospital to community, with more care being provided closer to people’s homes where this is safe, effective and right for patients. In Torbay and South Devon, this builds on our Living Well in Our Neighbourhoods approach, which brings together health, care, voluntary and community sector partners to support people in the communities where they live.

Community hospitals are one part of how healthcare is provided locally. Across Torbay and South Devon, services are also delivered from health and wellbeing centres, GP practices, people’s homes and a growing range of community locations. This can include places such as schools, libraries and other local venues that are closer and more convenient for the people using them.

What matters most is that local people can access the care and support they need. As healthcare needs change and new approaches develop, services may be provided in different ways and from different locations, provided they continue to meet the needs of patients and communities.

There is no single approach that will be right for every community. Different localities may need different solutions depending on local needs, geography and the services people require. What matters is that local people can access safe, high-quality care as close to home as possible.

People tell us they want to stay healthy, independent and connected to their communities for as long as possible. They also want it to be easier to access support when they need it and not have to navigate lots of different services on their own.

The NHS 10 Year Health Plan describes a shift from hospital to community, with more care being provided closer to people’s homes where this is safe, effective and right for patients. The aim is not simply to move services from one place to another. It is to help people stay well for longer, get support earlier and prevent problems from becoming crises that require hospital care.

This is not a new idea in Torbay and South Devon. For many years, local GP practices, community health services, social care teams, voluntary and community organisations, schools and colleges have worked together to support people in our communities.

Our strategy builds on these well-established relationships through Living Well in Our Neighbourhoods, one of our signature moves. Across our five localities, we are working with partners to strengthen the support available to people in their communities and make it easier for services to work together around the needs of individuals and families.

This approach recognises that people’s health is influenced by much more than medical care alone. Having somewhere safe to live, opportunities to learn and work, supportive relationships and access to help when it is needed can all make a significant difference to health and wellbeing.

Hospitals remain an important part of this picture. Many services can only be provided in an acute hospital setting and will continue to be delivered from hospitals. At the same time, there are opportunities to provide some care differently and closer to home, particularly for people with frailty, long-term conditions and ongoing support needs.

The future of healthcare in Torbay and South Devon is not about choosing between hospitals and community services. We will continue to need both. By building on the strengths of our local communities and the partnerships that already exist across Torbay and South Devon, we can help more people live well, stay independent and receive the right support at the right time.

Yes.

Every year, doctors choose to join Torbay and South Devon at different stages of their careers. This includes experienced and new consultants, resident doctors, SAS doctors, locally employed doctors and medical students undertaking training placements with us.

Like NHS organisations across the country, some medical specialties can be harder to recruit to than others. However, we continue to attract doctors who want to work with our teams and care for the people and communities we serve.

Many of our doctors tell us they choose Torbay and South Devon because of the opportunity to provide high-quality care, work as part of supportive teams and build a career in a beautiful part of the country. Increasingly, they are also attracted by opportunities to be involved in research, innovation, teaching and service development.

Recruiting and retaining talented doctors is important for our patients and communities. We are committed to supporting doctors throughout their careers, from work experience to medical students and resident doctors through to senior clinical leadership roles.

Like NHS organisations across the country, we are facing significant financial pressures and must ensure we make the best possible use of the public money entrusted to us.

Earlier this year we ran a voluntary redundancy programme which allowed colleagues to express an interest in leaving the organisation. Not all applications were approved. Each application was carefully considered to ensure that patient care, service delivery and the support we provide to local communities would not be affected. Roles that were needed to maintain services were protected.

As the largest employer in Torbay and South Devon, we understand the important role we play in our communities, and we do not take decisions about jobs lightly. The programme was entirely voluntary and, for some colleagues, provided an opportunity to make a change that was right for them at that point in their careers and lives.

The purpose of the programme was to support the long-term financial sustainability of the organisation and ensure we can continue investing in services for patients and communities. It was not about reducing clinical services or compromising patient care.

We introduced Epic to replace more than 100 separate systems that colleagues were using across the organisation, including the oldest patient administration system (PAS) in the country.

Bringing information together into a single electronic patient record makes it easier for colleagues to access the information they need and helps improve how care is coordinated across different services and teams.

Epic is also shared by all acute hospitals in Devon, helping to create a more connected health and care system for patients across the county.

The introduction of Epic has also improved the experience for patients. Through MY CARE, which is linked to the NHS App, people can view appointments, access information about their care and communicate more easily with healthcare teams. We have also introduced proxy access, making it easier for carers, parents and family members to help manage healthcare for those who need additional support.

We know some people have asked whether Epic is linked to NHS privatisation because it is developed by an American company and includes billing functions. It is not. Like many healthcare IT systems used around the world, Epic includes administrative and financial features, but these do not change how NHS services are funded or delivered.

NHS care remains free at the point of use. Epic is simply a tool that helps us manage patient information more effectively and support better care for patients.

Healthcare services do not stand still. Advances in medicine, technology, workforce availability and the changing needs of local communities mean the NHS must continually plan for the future.

Part of that planning involves looking at different scenarios, exploring options and considering how services may need to evolve over time. This is an important part of responsible planning, but it does not mean decisions have been made or that changes are being proposed.

There is an important difference between strategic planning and formal proposals. Strategic planning helps the NHS understand future challenges and opportunities. A proposal exists only when a specific change is being actively developed and considered through the appropriate decision-making processes.

Different decisions are made by different organisations. Some decisions can be made by individual NHS organisations, while others are the responsibility of NHS Devon, which plans and commissions healthcare services for local people.

Most NHS decisions do not affect where people receive their care or the care they receive. However, where proposals are brought forward that could affect local services, information should be shared openly and people should have opportunities to understand what is being proposed, ask questions and share their views.

We are committed to being open and transparent. If proposals are brought forward that would change where people receive care or the care they receive, we will share information openly and explain how colleagues, patients, governors and local people can have their say through relevant engagement and consultation processes.

NHS organisations have a legal duty to work together in the interests of patients and local communities. The Health and Care Act 2022 strengthened this duty, encouraging NHS organisations, local authorities and other partners to collaborate to improve health, reduce inequalities and make the best use of public resources.

In practice, healthcare has always involved organisations working together. Many of the services people rely on every day are planned and delivered across organisational boundaries.

For example, Torbay and South Devon provides services on behalf of a wider population, including the Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) Screening Programme for people across South Devon, Torbay and Exeter. Other services used by people in Torbay and South Devon are provided by neighbouring NHS organisations, including renal services and sexual health services provided by Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.

Some highly specialised services are also provided from regional centres, such as Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, while other specialist care is delivered from hospitals elsewhere in the South West and across the country.

Collaboration extends beyond clinical services. NHS organisations increasingly work together to share expertise and resources in areas such as digital services, procurement, estates and other support functions. This includes work through the Collaborative Corporate Services programme, which brings NHS organisations together to improve efficiency and make the best possible use of public resources.

Clinicians also share expertise, services support each other during periods of high demand, and organisations increasingly use shared digital systems such as Epic to support patient care.

Working together helps ensure patients can access the right expertise and care when they need it, while making the best use of specialist skills, facilities and resources. Working collaboratively does not automatically mean services are changing or moving location. Collaboration may involve shared planning, shared expertise or shared services, while care continues to be provided locally.

Where proposals are developed that could affect where people receive care or the care they receive, these would be considered through the appropriate decision-making processes and information would be shared publicly.

For many years, Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust has provided adult social care services on behalf of Torbay Council through a partnership agreement known as a Section 75 agreement. This arrangement has brought health and social care services together and helped create a more joined-up experience for people using services.

Following many months of work and discussion with Torbay Council, NHS Devon and other partners, our Board decided in March 2026 to give notice on the current agreement. This started a 12-month transition period during which adult social care services will continue to be provided as they are today while future arrangements are developed.

The intention is that responsibility for adult social care services in Torbay will transfer back to Torbay Council from 01 April 2027, bringing Torbay into line with arrangements used elsewhere in Devon and in many other parts of the country.

This change does not mean an end to partnership working. We remain committed to working closely with Torbay Council, NHS Devon and other partners to support people to live well and maintain joined-up care wherever it benefits local people. Throughout the transition period, our focus is on ensuring continuity of care and developing future arrangements that support effective integration between health and social care services.

Supporting our adult social care colleagues through the transition is a key priority for us. We recognise the important contribution they make to local people every day and will continue to work closely with staff side representatives, Torbay Council and other partners as future arrangements are developed.