CENTRAL Devon MP Mel Stride has taken up the fight to keep Bovey Tracey Hospital open throughout the winter.

But the South Devon and Torbay Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) believes it will close temporarily.

He says the CCG has provided him with the trigger points which would lead to a closure.

‘I am now pressing the CCG to provide details of the actions it is taking to make sure none of that would trigger closure.

‘I will be examining the response very carefully and will continue to work closely with all stakeholders to ensure that everything possible is done to ensure the beds remain open,’ said Mr Stride.

In an email to the MP, the CCG’s chairman Derek Greatorex said as part of the contingency planning, discussions had taken place as to what would trigger decisions to temporarily close beds.

‘Looking at how best to deliver this, we are trying to avoid making decisions without warning, and we have drawn on last year’s experiences where temporarily closing beds in Bovey Tracey enabled us to look after more patients, more effectively.’

READ FULL STORY AND CLLR AVRIL KERSWELL’S PLEA IN THE BOVEY TRACEY AND CHUDLEIGH EDITION OF TODAY’S PAPER