The One Plan for Devon – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

The One Plan for Devon sets out the overall direction for how health and care services in Devon will need to evolve over the next five years to meet growing demand, workforce pressures, and the needs of an ageing population.

At the same time, the plan recognises the need to look more towards prevention and supporting people to stay well.

The plan focuses on

• Improving access to care
• Delivering more services closer to home
• Reducing waiting times
• Improving outcomes for local people

To find out more:

NHS Devon Five-Year Commissioning Plan FINAL board paperDownload

NHS Devon Five Year Commissioning Plan 2026-31 summary FINALDownload 

The NHS works as a partnership locally, with the Intergraded Care Board (ICB) planning and commissioning services across Devon, and NHS Trusts run hospital services day-to-day. We work closely together to make sure services are safe, sustainable and meet local needs. 

The One Plan for Devon has been shaped by extensive engagement with communities, staff, and partners, reflecting feedback gathered through the recent 10 Year Plan engagement programme.

• This included more than 3,400 pieces of feedback
• 2,353 survey responses
• 358 people attended 50 workshops hosted across Devon

More than 700 written postcard responses            

We are committed to being open and transparent, and to listening to the views of patients, staff and local communities and there will be a range of opportunities for people to get involved, ask questions, and help shape how this plan is delivered in the year ahead.

You can sign up for official updates, to receive the latest accurate information and receive invites to engagement opportunities.

We are also recruiting to a lived experience group that will form an important part of our engagement exercise.

The One Plan for Devon does not include proposals to make specific service changes or remove any services but does recognise that delivering sustainable services across Devon will not be possible without transformation.  

Where any future changes are proposed, these would be led by clinical teams and involve local people before any decisions are made.   

ICBs and trusts all have legal duties to involve the public in their decision-making – these are outlined in the One Devon People and Communities Framework which was co-developed with partners across Devon.  

The main duties on NHS bodies are set out in the National Health Services Act 2006, as amended by the Health and Care Act 2022:  

1. section 242(1B) for NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts  
2. section 13Q for NHS England 
3. section 14Z45 for integrated care boards 

Changes to A&E times are not included in the One Plan for Devon.  

Torbay Hospital is currently undergoing a significant £14.2 million redevelopment of its Emergency Department (A&E) to increase capacity, improve patient care environments, and reduce waiting times. The project is designed to address challenges posed by an aging infrastructure, with the full redevelopment scheduled for completion in 2026.  

Read more here: Funding secured for Emergency Department upgrades at Torbay Hospital – Torbay and South Devon NHS F…  

There are no proposals in the One Plan for Devon to re-locate maternity services.   

The Lead Provider model is a commissioning and contracting approach, not a service change.  

It means one NHS organisation may be asked to take overall responsibility for coordinating a pathway of care (for example, elective care or community services), working with other providers as partners.  
This is intended to: 

• Improve coordination of care 
• Reduce fragmentation 
• Improve outcomes and patient experience  

It does not predetermine: 

• Which services are delivered and where 
• The closure, relocation or reduction of services  

Any changes to services would require separate proposals and public involvement.  

There are no proposals to move PPCI set out in: 

The Devon Health and Care Strategy   

The One Plan for Devon 

The ICB’s five-year commissioning intentions 

If any such proposal were ever to be developed, it would require formal clinical review and full public involvement.  

The reference to a “New Hospital” relates to the national New Hospital Programme, which is focused on: 

• Replacing or refurbishing unsafe or ageing hospital buildings 
• Addressing issues such as reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) 
• Improving the physical condition of hospitals  

Torbay Hospital is in wave two of the national New Hospital Programme. Following a national review of the programme in early 2025, the timetable for main construction associated with the Torbay scheme moved to between 2033 and 2035.  

The scheme is expected to involve a significant redevelopment of the existing hospital site. Current estimates suggest a total cost above £500 million, but the final scope, cost and funding position will only be confirmed once the full business case process has been completed and approved nationally.  

While work continues nationally on the longer‑term programme, Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust is exploring all other funding avenues available to manage estates risks and invest in the site. This includes the £14.2 million redevelopment of the Emergency Department, which is due to be completed this year.  

Alongside this, the Trust is progressing other capital schemes on the Torbay Hospital site through national funding, including the refurbishment of day theatres, expansion of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery services as well as several priority schemes through its own capital allocation such as the refurbishment of the cardiac catheterisation laboratories and aseptic pharmacy (chemotherapy).  

In addition, essential infrastructure works are being taken forward to address known issues associated with the ageing estate and to keep services safe and operational while longer‑term plans are developed.  

North Devon District Hospital (Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust) is in wave three of the New Hospital Programme. Construction is due to begin between 2035 and 2038 and involves a major site modernisation.  

Derriford Hospital (University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust) is wave one of the New Hospital Programme for a specific project, a new Emergency Care Building. Construction has begun on this project and is due to be completed in 2028/29.  

The links below provide more information:

Our Future Hospital – University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust  

New Hospital Programme – Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust 

Our Future Hospital – Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust  

The NHS cannot provide an “underwritten guarantee” of this nature, however, we can be clear that our One Plan for Devon does not include proposals to downgrade hospitals, remove services, or make specific changes to individual hospital services.  

Any substantial service change would require transparent public involvement. 

Local people can sign up for official NHS Devon updates, to receive the latest information and invites to engagement opportunities.   

NHS England Estates Safety funding has been awarded to Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation NHS Trust to address long‑standing infrastructure risks in histopathology at Torbay Hospital. Histopathology is a clinical support service which is central to high-quality patient care.  

As a result, the Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust Board has approved a long-term solution for routine histopathology to move to a bespoke new laboratory at Gadeon House in Exeter, once the new facility is ready. Time critical and urgent pathology work will remain on the Torbay Hospital site through a permanent Acute Services Laboratory.   

This will be confirmed at the Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust Board of Directors meeting in public on 07 May 2026 where further detail, including how turnaround times, service quality and clinical support will be maintained, will be shared.  

If your question hasn’t been answered in this FAQ page, you can send your queries to d-icb.involve@nhs.net