Sean Brogan, SOHS (Save our Health Services) South Devon, Coombe Vale Road, Teignmouth, writes:

The Teignmouth Post’s front page (April 20) will leave a sour taste in the mouths of those who have supported and raised millions for Teignmouth Hospital over the years since 1954. The question now on people’s lips will be – is the site going to be sold as so many have been in our NHS (nice piece of real estate)?

Bombed during the Second World War with the loss of nurses and patients’ lives it was the first hospital to be rebuilt for the NHS. Despite great opposition from local people, the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) closed the Accident and Emergency department. The much-lauded ‘consultation’ process regarding the latter is now rightly regarded with severe cynicism. We were told that the empty beds/wards would be subject to a new ‘consultation’. The beds have been gathering dust!

It seems that the day surgery will be transferred to Torbay in the new proposals. As these bureaucrats travel in their cars they have no idea how long it takes to get to Torbay Hospital by bus or the price of a taxi! Our hospital provided ‘end of life care’ for locals – my friend’s elderly aunt died in Torbay while she drove endlessly around the full car park!

How is the new build to be financed? I hope they don’t intend to use Public Finance Initiative (PFI) which has proven to be like a millstone around the neck of public finances – the only ones really benefiting are bankers and outsourcing agencies.

There are so many questions to be answered and given the ‘democratic consulting’ performance of the Clinical Commissioning Groups so far, I would suggest that there is a deficit of belief and palpable anger in their actions so far. They have devastated the community hospitals all over Devon and there are national plans which would make one’s hair curl!

So – let them bring their plans on and be honest and exercise less subterfuge – after all, it is OUR NHS and we want our say. I shall be watching with interest as this ‘consultation’ develops!