WILLIAM A MURRAY, of 5 Shorland Close, Dawlish, writes:
It is with sadness, but no surprise, that I read in the Advertiser (June 28) about the demise of Victoria Ward in Newton Abbot Hospital.
This is just the latest step in the reduction of a once large thriving hospital, always at the heart of its community and staffed by experienced, caring and professional staff throughout its long history.
Those people who know the hospital best will know exactly what I am talking about, especially those stalwarts of the League of Friends who, year upon year, have carried on raising money for their hospital. The very same friends who, time and time again, have been promised that far from reducing the size and expertise available at the hospital, it would be given new departments and services which would save elderly, frail patients the trek to Torbay.
There is no doubt in my mind, and I am sure in many others, that Newton will be left with a two-ward cottage-type hospital.
You simply cannot provide a large geographical area – remember, we are talking about the biggest population outside of Torquay (and growing) – with a hospital of this limited function and service provision. It made no sense when it was first mooted, and makes no sense now.
In the end, the community will get the hospital it deserves. If the local population is not prepared to fight for the retention of services, and if they are prepared to see the revenue for these services being swallowed by other areas, and ever-growing bureaucracy of the Primary Care Trust, or being hived off to these other areas without consultation, then that is exactly what will happen.
If you want a hospital worthy of the name, one that will look after you with the same skill and dedication no matter what age you are, if you want a hospital which still has consultant-led beds for patients who need skilled consultant input without having to go to Torbay, if you want a hospital which will have a doctor present all day, and if you want all the services you used to have, you can have them, but you will have to fight for them.
Wake up, Newton, mobilise, form a committee, have meetings, tell the Primary Care Group what you want. Fight tooth and nail for your hospital, your services, your League of Friends. Make sure your MP knows how you feel. Support your League of Friends. Be prepared to listen to the 'spin' about 'available resources', 'beds not needed', 'social needs, not nursing needs', 'Teignbridge as a whole', and other such rhetoric. Whatever happens in Newton Abbot now is what you, your sons and daughters, your elderly relatives are going to have to live with for a very long time.