County councillor Sally Morgan is spearheading a petition to keep Bovey Tracey and Ashburton minor injury units permanently open, after it was revealed that both will close temporarily after their intensive deep clean. Cllr Morgan believes that these units are vital to those living in the south Dartmoor area of Teignbridge. She has already distributed the petition to local doctors surgeries, dentists, pharmacies and shops and also hopes to circulate it to parishes nearby. Teignbridge MP Richard Younger- Ross is backing the petition and in the future will present it to the Government. Cllr Morgan also hopes to get support from Bovey Tracey Town Council and residents. 'If Bovey Tracey and Ashburton MIUs closed for good, the whole of the south Dartmoor area will be left without cover. 'In the consultation a while ago, it was said that the hours at Bovey Tracey MIU would be temporarily reduced from 24 hours to 12 hours, and these hours have now become permanent. A year later, the MIU is now closing, and the term "temporarily" is being used again. I am concerned that this will also be permanent. 'We can't let this highly valuable community resource go. If we didn't have an MIU people would have to travel to Newton Abbot to be treated. 'One woman I know scalded herself and went to Bovey Tracey MIU. If this unit wasn't there for her she would have had to go to Newton Abbot and she would have been left scarred. As she got treated locally and quickly, she has recovered.' Last week, two local doctors offered to provide medical cover until 6pm each day at the MIU's in Ashburton and Bovey Tracey. l Continued on page 2 l From page 1 'It is good of them, but it shouldn't be up to the GP's,' commented Cllr Morgan. 'The PCT should have budgeted better. 'Torbay is spending millions on their hospital and here it seems services are getting scrapped.' The Teignbridge Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) in Health Forum is concerned about the closures and in a letter to Teignbridge PCT stressed that the closure should only be short term. In the letter Byron Carnell, Teignbridge PPI chairman states: 'We would like assurances from you that the PCT will not use this opportunity to wind down or permanently close services that we consider of vital importance to the local community.' In response to the closure Pam Smith chief executive of Teignbridge PCT this week stressed that the shut down of these MIU's is 'absolutely temporary'. 'There are some short term issues that we are looking into and we are looking into finding a resolution and getting these services back,' she said. 'We are working actively with local GP practices to do so. We do understand people are anxious but we are working to find solutions to the problems.'
