We have launched a consultation on proposals to close support services for adults with a range of mental health and wellbeing needs in North Devon – services which, in many cases, are now provided within the community.
Funded by us and managed by Devon Partnership NHS Trust (DPT), The North Devon Link Service in Barnstaple, Bideford and Ilfracombe offers support for loneliness, isolation and mental wellbeing.
They offer a range of social, leisure, support, guidance and educational opportunities that do not require specialist NHS care or support.
However, a 2019 review of the Link Service conducted with Devon Partnership NHS Trust concluded much of what they did offer was already being provided by the community, local organisations and the voluntary sector.
In 2022, national funding was used to establish the Devon Mental Health Alliance who has worked with local partners to develop community based services which are very similar to those offered by the Link Service.
As a result, local people in North Devon can now access these services and a range of other mental health support, through their GP practice, primary care team and mental wellbeing groups, services that were not previously available when the Link Centres first opened.
For instance, the Alliance already provides drop-in groups in North Devon such as one-to-one and group support for individuals with Severe Mental Illness diagnosis falling in the gap between primary and secondary care.
And drop-in groups for those accessing Alliance or statutory services, trauma and shame support and understanding emotions are also running.
The Link Service costs £462,000 to operate every year and if it were closed, we would support current service users, assess their needs and help transition them to alternative community run provision.
And where needed, we would consider offering targeted funding to the voluntary and community sector to support the transition to alternative services.
An example of this can be seen in Holsworthy – the Holsworthy service is no longer part of the Link Service and support is instead delivered from Holsworthy Youth Centre.
It is a community-led centre which offers a wide range of community support sessions.
We have begun conversations with the community and voluntary sector in each area to look at alternative services should the proposal go ahead.
Cabinet Member for Integrated Adult Social Care & Health Councillor James McInnes said:
“These proposals have never been about seeking to reduce the support that people receive.
“These services can be – and already are – delivered by other providers which have been put in place over the last couple of years following the creation of the Devon Mental Health Alliance.
“We have now seen in Holsworthy that it is possible, with our help, to successfully provide this same support within the community.
“We have heard from service users who described themselves as having severe mental health needs.
“While we acknowledge the strength of feeling, meeting severe mental health needs is not what the service was commissioned to provide, and it’s important that service users receive support from the people properly able to give that the type of support.
“With the improved accessibility to mental health services and increased range of available support as a result of recent national investment, there is a wide range of suitable mental health support services that can and will meet that need.
“We fully understand the value of them and the impact any change could have, which is why we are launching this consultation to ensure that we have fully listened to and considered peoples’ concerns before any decisions are made.
“When, following this further consultation, we come to make a decision we will also take into account all feedback and responses already received from the first consultation.
“Nothing will be decided until after the consultation is completed and we’ve had time to fully digest what people tell us.
“We remain fully committed to supporting people who need our services in the best way that we can.”
The consultation lasts for four weeks and concludes on Monday December 4.
You can take part in the consultation by filling out our on-line feedback form. This can be accessed through the Devon County Council website on the Have your say webpage.
Alternatively you can email your comments to: adultsc.northdevonlinkpublicconsultation-mailbox@devon.gov.uk