Devon community hospital plans condemned as 'short-sighted'

Campaigners urged NHS Devon to reconsider plans for three community hospitals in Devon

Protesters have urged the NHS to reconsider "short-sighted" plans to close a community hospital and hand back wards at two others.

NHS Devon has proposed closing Teignmouth Hospital and offloading vacant space at Seaton Hospital and Okehampton Hospital to save money.

Ahead of a Devon County Council meeting on the issue, protesters described the plans as "wrong".

NHS Devon said in a report it faced a £42m budget deficit in 2023-24.

The BBC has contacted the trust for further comment.

The council's Health and Adult Care Scrutiny Committee voted not to pressure the secretary of state for health over the planned closure of Teignmouth Hospital.

However, the committee asked for another report into the Seaton plans, while no decision was made about Okehampton.

'Won't fit the bill'

Councillor Chris Clarance, Teignbridge District Council chairman, said he was disappointed by the decision not to refer the matter to the health secretary.

"It was terrible," he said.

"It was not what I was expecting... I was hoping the committee would stick with the original task group's finding to refer only for them to U-turn."

NHS Devon said it faced "severe financial challenges"

Viv Wilson, a campaigner, said Teignmouth Hospital was an "essential" part of the community.

She argued NHS plans for a new health and wellbeing centre in the town would not meet demand.

"The decision to close Teignmouth Hospital is wrong," she said.

"The hospital is an essential part of the health and wellbeing of that particular part of Devon - their proposal to spend £23m on a health hub, which is not a hospital, just really won't fit the bill."

Martin Shaw, from Seaton Hospital Steering Committee, said NHS Devon's plans to hand back a two-storey wing to its property service was "short-sighted".

"Cuts don't have to be made in this way," he said.

"It matters to me because I live in a small town which is a long way from the acute hospital."

'Adrift' from savings plan

Jan Goffey, a former mayor of Okehampton, said similar plans to hand back an empty ward would cost the community "far more" than the NHS would save.

"Elderly patients don't heal as well if they are far away from their family and friends," she added.

In a report presented to councillors, NHS Devon said it faced "severe financial challenges".

"In 2023/24... the forecast deficit for the county's NHS system as a whole is £42.3m, which includes a £212m savings plan," it said.

"We are £32.5m adrift from where we expected to be against our plan."