Health Secretary Wes Streeting has been asked to step into a row over the future of adult social care in Torbay.

The bay’s MP has written to Mr Streeting asking him to block the controversial decision by local health chiefs to pull the plug on a 20-year partnership with Torbay Council.

The Torbay and South Devon Healthcare Trust says it can no longer afford to be part of the pioneering partnership which is being studied as an exemplar by other authorities across the country and as far afield as Finland.

It provides care for hundreds of vulnerable adults, and has enabled many of them to leave hospital and return to their own homes.

But the trust says the link-up is costing it £35million a year, which is not sustainable. However, politicians from all parties in the bay have questioned the cost, with Torbay Council leader Cllr David Thomas telling a public meeting he believed the true cost was closer to £3.5million.

Liberal Democrat MP Steve Darling has called on the Health Secretary to act.

In his letter he says: “Torbay Hospital faces an uphill battle after years of under-investment under the former Conservative government. However, this should not be an excuse to abandon the highly-respected Integrated Care Organisation.

“It has been seen as a trailblazer for the new government direction of travel for community health and social care. In fact, evidence from Torbay helped inform the Casey Review.

“Torbay Council and the Devon Integrated Care Board have grave concerns about the partnership ending. While we accept that the health service has many pressing issues with the broken NHS, there is a lack of public accountability with this decision, without any real justification.”

Mr Darling said he was planning to apply for an adjournment debate in the House of Commons which would allow him to put the case for retaining the ‘Section 75’ agreement between the trust and the council.

“It has resulted in people being able to leave hospital in Torbay more speedily than elsewhere in Devon and elsewhere in the country,” he said. “The trust’s pretence that everything is going to be OK is for the birds and I’m absolutely livid.”