ON behalf of those present we would like to thank the Leader, Cllr Connett, and his colleagues for kindly rearranging the agenda and moving the case for a further referral regarding the decision to close Teignmouth Community Hospital to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, from the last item on the agenda to be the first discussed, writes Geralyn Arthurs.

Cllr Clarance was the first to speak after the Executive Members introduced themselves to the public. 

He stressed the importance that the motion also required a letter to DCC Health and Adult Care Scrutiny Committee for a further referral to the Secretary of State, as it was the only organisation that had the statutory power to enable a referral. 

He pointed out that the Independent Reconfiguration Panel had not focused on “all relevant matters” as requested in the original referral but had focused on the consultation process only. He raised the issue of readmissions and discharges for Torbay Hospital pointing out the impact this has on acute beds.

Several members of the public supported Cllr Clarance’s statement.

Dr Keane, a retired GP from the Den Practice, stated that several decisions made by the Health Trust were illogical and not necessarily in patients’ best interests. 

He stressed the importance of community hospitals and how they had supported the main district general hospitals to function properly, especially with regards to recuperation and rehabilitation.

Members of the public pointed out that Teignmouth Hospital was open during the week, with the operating theatre performing minor surgery from 8am-6pm during the week and the physiotherapy unit, two-thirds which was paid for by the League of Friends, running daily from Monday to Friday. Likewise the various clinics were providing valuable services administering to their patients.

Freda Welton, the President of the League of Friends, stated that Teignmouth Hospital was actually built by local people’s generosity and that they had further funds to enable Teignmouth Hospital to keep running, but that the NHS needed to work with them to secure a future as they were the custodians of these funds and did not want them to be wasted. 

Cllr Cox eloquently summed up the debate before the Executive Members delivered their views. It was gratifying to hear every member of the Executive support the motion while giving their own experiences as to the reasons why this was important. 

Cllr Wrigley pointed out that it would be advantageous for Phil Shears, the Managing Director of TDC, also to write to the local Integrated Care Board and the Chair of the Integrated Care Systems, which replaced the Devon Clinical Care Group last July. 

Cllr Dewhirst, the Deputy Chair, summed up the debate giving his personal experience of Teignmouth Hospital stating that before he took on this role he had been treated by the physiotherapy team and in his opinion that was the reason why he is able to walk so well. 

The Managing Director informed the public that he had received the latest figures from Torbay concerning admissions and discharge and that this census would add considerable weight to the letters he would hopefully be sending.

The motion then went to a vote. The public was gratified to witness the motion being passed unanimously to be referred to Full Council on February 21, and applauded and thanked the councillors for their support.