A PETITION with 2,783 signatures against plans that would, to all intents and purposes, lead to the closure of Teignmouth Hospital was handed over ‘virtually’ to Devon County Council’s health and adult care scrutiny committee.

Handing over the petition Cllr Alistair Dewhirst said: ‘This was the first hospital built under the new NHS and represents all that is great about the NHS, and I have yet to meet a constituent who doesn’t want me to save the hospital.

‘Hospital services will be transferred to another town, and that could never be described at anything other than second best.

‘The proposals are either to go to a health centre with no parking or to another town all together, so is it any wonder that so many are opposed to the change?

‘The report doesn’t say how many people were for or against it.’

He also told the committee: ‘I hope you tell the CCG this is not acceptable and we deserve more than this.

‘Please amplify the voices and concerns of the public and come back with a proper report.’

Cllr Sylvia Russell, who represents the Teignmouth ward, said she wanted to thank the campaigners and that it was quite remarkable how the local population have been behind the saving of the hospital.

She added: ‘I have every sympathy of it and agree it would be nice to save the hospital, but we have to look at the wider picture of improving health services to meet the present day needs of the growing population.

‘This will be a very difficult decision. The health hub is nowhere near off the ground yet, and planning application hasn’t yet gone in, so there is a big climb before any health hub comes into force.

‘I don’t think CCG have put a clear enough case to close the hospital and I thank the objectors for the efforts they have made and I hope there will be a successful outcome that suits all of us.’

Cllr Hilary Ackland, vice-chairman of the committee, said that as elected representations, they cannot ignore what is being said by the public and the petition.

She added: ‘This is something people feel very strongly about and it is incredibly unfortunate that the timing of the meeting is such that we cannot see the Healthwatch report that as they haven’t completed it.

‘I propose that we do have an opportunity to evaluate the evidence from the final report before the Devon CCG meets on December 17, and we need to have the equivalent of a spotlight review for this to integrate the evidence so public can have confidence it was conducted with rigour and fairness.

‘It is disappointed they have come back without the proper evidence and we need to see if there is true evidence for this to go ahead and it has true integrity.’