Teignmouth Hospital: 'Final roll of dice' in bid to stop closure, councillor says

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

A battle to save a hospital from closure has reached "the final roll of the dice", a councillor has said.

NHS Devon has decided to relocate services from the hospital to a proposed new health and wellbeing hub in the town centre, and Dawlish Community Hospital.

That would leave the hospital empty and facing the prospect of closure.

However, campaigners said the hospital's role remained vital.

Chair of Teignbridge District Council, Councillor Chris Clarance, said the authority needed to "act quickly".

It was the first NHS hospital to be built after World War Two, replacing a building which was bombed.

NHS Devon Clinical Commissioning Group decided in December 2020 to move its services to other locations in Teignmouth and Dawlish.

Any future decision about what to do with the hospital itself would rest with owners Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

In January, Devon County Council committee voted not to lobby the minister on behalf of Teignmouth.

The community hospital on Mill Lane was built by the NHS in 1954

Mr Clarance said: "The NHS says its model of care is working efficiently. If it was, there wouldn't be queues of ambulances lined up on a daily basis outside Torquay's accident and emergency department.

"If any lay person can see that there are insufficient in-patient beds, why can't our trust see it too?"

Mr Clarance, who is an Independent representing Shaldon and Stokeinteignhead, disputed reports which claimed the fabric of the building was in poor condition.

'Barking up wrong tree'

"I don't buy into the argument that it is all doom and gloom about the state of the building," he said.

"We can't afford to wait any longer. This is the final roll of the dice."

Liberal Democrat councillor Rosie Dawson, who represents north east Dawlish, said the hospital had been used as a "red zone" assessment centre during the pandemic, and may be needed again.

"If this is the last action we can take to try and save Teignmouth Hospital then we must take it," she said.

Councillor Joan Atkins, Conservative councillor for Teignmouth Central, said: "I believe firmly that primary care should be available, but I don't believe the hospital is the place for it to be. I think we're barking up the wrong tree."