MP Mel Stride has weighed into the debate over the uncertain future of the Bovey Tracey and Ashburton and Buckfastleigh community hospitals.

He is urging health chiefs to ‘fully engage and listen’ to residents and groups who may not share their ambitions about the future of the facilities.

A public consultation gets underway on May 13 with the South Devon and Torbay Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) minded to turn the hospitals into health and wellbeing centres.

These would feature locally-based community staff working alongside GP, pharmacists and voluntary sector organisations to provide health and well-being services and community clinics.

He said this week: ‘I fully understand the concerns of both Bovey Tracey and Ashburton and Buckfastleigh League of Friends relating to these proposals, and have strongly pressed upon the CCG the need to fully engage and listen to what both organisations, as well as local residents, have to say.’

He stressed: ‘Community hospitals are incredibly important and must play a central role in the delivery of healthcare services in both areas and although the CCG will have its own ideas about the type of services made available at the hospitals, they must take into account the views of local people.’

Mr Stride spoke with Dr Derek Greatorex from the CCG about the consultation before the plans were considered by stakeholders on April 15.

He has a follow-up meeting scheduled for early May.

Further information is available at www. southdevon andtor bayccg.nhs.uk /community-health-services, including copies of the presentations used at recent stakeholder meetings. Residents can email [email protected], telephone 01803 652578; or write to South Devon and Torbay CCG, Pomona House, Torquay, TQ2 7FF.