Devon County Council has launched a consultation on the future of six day services across the county. 

The authority operates ten in-house day care services at eight different sites across Devon.

Since 2015, the number of eligible people accessing the County Council’s in-house learning disability day services has reduced from 116 to 13 people today.

Devon’s learning disability day services at Tumbly Hill in Kingsbridge, as well as its older people day services at Tumbly Hill, are currently not attended by anyone.

The County Council is asking for people to have their say on whether it should continue operating these six day care services. The consultation can be found on Devon’s Have Your Say webpages www.devon.gov.uk/haveyoursay/categories/social-care/

A series of consultation meetings will also be held in the coming weeks:

The County Council has asked for views on five options:

1) To continue to operate all six of these in-house day services for five days per week.

2) To continue to operate all of these six in-house day services but operate some, or all of them, on a reduced number of days.

3) To continue to operate some of these six in-house day services for five days per week while ceasing to provide services completely from some of them. 

4) To continue to operate some of these six in-house day services on a reduced number of days but ceasing provision of services completely from some of them.

5) To cease providing day services from all six of these in-house day services.

Councillor James McInnes, Devon County Council Cabinet Member with responsibility for adult social care, said: 

"Support to disabled people and older people is vitally important and our aim is for all adults in Devon that need care and support to be given choice and control in accessing the services they want, in the right location and at the best value for money.

“Day services provide a social and stimulating environment for people. As with other services they aim to increase a person’s independence and ultimately to reduce and delay the need for current or future services.

“In recent years, we’ve expanded the support for disabled people with our ‘Reaching for Independence’ service, which promotes and enables more access to everyday community services such as activities, transport, and employment opportunities.

“Growing demand, increasing complexity of need and higher than anticipated inflationary pressures however have imposed huge pressures on public services, and it’s therefore vital that we get best value out of every penny we spend.

“This consultation is a good opportunity for people to have their say on the options we’re considering for these six day care services in Devon and I would encourage people to let us know their views.”

The Council commissions 81 independent sector providers, to deliver day services in Devon.  Around 480 people receive a day service in the county, through both commissioned and in house services.

No matter which option is decided upon for the services being consulted upon, the Council will continue to meet a person’s eligible needs, following a Care Act assessment and support plan.

The consultation will run until Sunday 31 December 2023. To book a place at any of the consultation meetings, visit the Have Your Say webpage. Full details about this consultation, including supporting documents, are available at www.devon.gov.uk/haveyoursay/categories/social-care/