Devon Primary Care Trust is failing the people of Bovey Tracey and must take action to avoid further closures of its community hospital, say civic leaders.

For the third time in five years, the 12-bed hospital has been hit by a lack of nurses to run the ward and minor injuries unit.

Patients have been moved out and the town left without an injuries unit at one of the busiest times of the year, fuelled by the annual carnival and influx of visitors.

Riverside Surgery, suggested by the trust as an alternative, is closed at lunchtimes and weekends.

The problems have always occurred in mid-summer. In August 2004 the then Teignbridge PCT blamed a recruitment problem for a month's closure.

In August 2006 a three-month suspension of the minor injuries unit was put down to poor usage and, again, recruitment difficulties.

This week Devon PCT said staff sickness and holidays meant closure was the only option.

The news has not gone down well with mayor Cllr Michelle Davey, who only learned about the development from the Advertiser.

'It's just not good enough for a community the size of Bovey Tracey which is growing and growing,' she said.

'As the town grows so the service needs to grow. As for sending patients to Riverside, it's already the case that people living in Heathfield can't sign up there and besides it's not open at weekends.

'Newton Abbot MIU isn't 24-hour and no doubt Torbay will be bursting at the seams.

'As far as I'm aware the council was not told about this, which is wrong as the trust must have known beforehand. There should have been posters up in shop windows and something given to us to put on the council's website.

'It's very sad indeed but that is the way the NHS is going.'

The Advertiser asked the trust four questions. Was the town being short changed? How many patients were being moved out? How had the public been told about the closure? And what steps were being taken to avoid problems in future?

The first response was from Leah Allen, assistant director for health and social care in south Devon, who said: 'Bovey Tracey hospital is a small unit with 12 inpatient beds. Bank staff are usually employed to cover staff sickness but during the summer, when many hospital staff choose to have their holidays, they are also on annual leave.

'This means it can sometimes be difficult to maintain the standards of care we require and so we have taken the decision temporarily to reduce services at the hospital.

'Most patients will be transferred to other hospitals in the area but a small number will remain, until they are well enough to return home.'

Not satisfied, we asked the questions again.

This time an unnamed spokesman said no, the town wasn't being short-changed and the two patients still there were being moved.

We were told posters had gone up at the hospital and that the press had been contacted. In fact the Advertiser and other media had to call the trust, having heard rumours about the closure.

To combat future problems the spokesman said: 'The PCT is looking to recruit additional bank staff so that the hospital has greater flexibility in summer months.'

Teignbridge MP Richard Younger-Ross is angered by the trust's inability to maintain services and its poor communications.

He too only learned of the closure from the Advertiser.

'It is the responsibility of the trust to ensure there are sufficient staff to keep the hospital open but closure is becoming an annual event,' he said.

'It is totally unacceptable to have the injuries unit closed in the peak holiday season and the trust did not even have the courtesy to contact my office.'

Mel Stride, prospective parliamentary candidate for the Central Devon seat which will include Bovey Tracey after the next election, called on the trust to sharpen its act.

'Bovey Tracey Hospital is absolutely vital to the community, particularly given its elderly population and the concerns about swine flu,' he said.

'It is very disappointing that this is the third closure in five years. Not only will I be seeking clarification from the trust; I will be putting pressure on them to ensure that everything possible is being done to resolve this ongoing problem.'

His Liberal Democrat counterpart, Cllr Sally Morgan, commented: 'Having the PCT not keeping people informed is normal. It's been the problem the whole way through.

'If staff shortages are happening on a regular basis it needs to be addressed, it's as simple as that.'

Editor's note: News that Cllr Morgan was to stand down as Lib Dem PPC was not known at the time we conducted the interview.