TEIGNMOUTH Hospital has been given a much-needed tonic with improvements to its operating theatre. The theatre, part-funded by the hospital's dedicated League of Friends, will offer operations under general anaesthetic for the first time for 15 years as part of plans to extend the use of the facility, instead of sending patients to district hospitals. But the news comes as the hospital faces another delay in the re-opening of its in-patient ward. Though unconfirmed by hospital bosses, it is believed Kingfisher Ward could remain closed until July – two months longer than planned and with only a fraction of the 21 beds ready. The ward has been closed since the summer while the condemned 56-year-old lift that accesses it is replaced. It was originally hoped the work would take just three months but complications added another five months to the planned re-opening in the spring. In that time, ward staff have been redeployed elsewhere and it is thought finding people to man Teignmouth's beds is causing the new delay. Services at all community hospitals in Devon are under review. The trust is facing a projected overspend this year and a recovery plan is in place to save £14.43 million. League of Friends chairman Bob Nash said that if the delay is confirmed 'it will be extremely disappointing'. He said: 'Our aim is to keep the hospital operational and active.' He welcomed increased use of the operating theatre, but 'it does not compensate by any means to the value of having that ward open for people to use'. Cllr Sylvia Russell broke the news of the delay at Tuesday's full town council meeting. She said afterwards: 'There is a lot of uncertainty about what is going on. 'What is worrying is that there are 150 community beds in Devon that are closed for financial reasons and because of the creation of Devon Primary Care Trust, Teignbridge is having to pick up the pieces when it did not overspend,' she said. Devon Primary Care Trust will discuss the hospital review at its board meeting next Wednesday at the Civic Centre, Barnstaple, at 10am.
