Devon County Councillors will be asked to agree a recommendation to close the North Devon Link Service Drop-in services that run from Link Centres in Barnstaple, Bideford and Ilfracombe.
First established in 1992, the services are managed by Devon Partnership NHS Trust to provide a range of social, leisure, support, guidance and educational opportunities for adults with mental health issues that do not require specialist NHS care.
Around 130 people have used the Council-funded services over the last 18 months.
We do not fund services like this anywhere else in the county.
The Link Services are commissioned to meet social care needs, not complex mental health needs.
And other support services already exist in the three towns that support adults with mental health needs.
Across Barnstaple, Bideford and Ilfracombe, a nationally-funded Devon Mental Health Alliance works with local partners to deliver a growing number of mental health support services, accessed through GP practices and the wider primary care team.
We have been talking to the Devon Mental Health Alliance about supporting Link Service users in future, and its staff are visiting the Link Centres to talk to service users about what support they need.
It’s not expected that the Alliance will replicate exactly the Link Services, but it can provide drop-in group sessions and one to one support, as well as support people to access other mental health services offered in the local areas.
GP surgeries in the towns also now have new Mental Health Multi Agency Teams that offer support and can refer people to Devon Mental Health Alliance or other community-based services.
The recommendation to stop providing the drop-in sessions doesn’t affect peoples’ right to support under the Care Act 2014. Where it is identified that people have eligible care and support needs that require a Care Act 2014 assessment, we will ensure that they are carried out. And, all service users are entitled to request a care needs assessment.
For those eligible for support, the Council and Devon Partnership NHS Trust will help those people to access alternative equivalent support.
In her report to the Council’s Cabinet, Devon’s Director of Integrated Adult Social Care, Tandra Foster, says:
“Since 2022, there has been a national focus and national investment to improve and develop the way community mental health services are delivered, and to address the gap between primary and secondary mental health care.
“This means improved accessibility to mental health services and an increased range of support with the introduction of the Devon Mental Health Alliance.”
The Director also notes the development of the new Mental Health Multi-Agency Teams in each of the towns’ GP surgeries. Collectively, she says:
“These services were not available at the time the Link Service started, and that forms an important part of the rationale for proposing the Link Service closures.
“With specific national funding provided to the NHS to develop community health and wellbeing support, it is reasonable to question whether Council funding should be used to fund very similar services.”
Councillors will consider the recommendation at their Cabinet meeting on Wednesday 13 March.