Locals fight to save Torbay health services

Cardiac care could move

A £40,000 fighting fund has been launched by campaigners battling to preserve crucial Torbay hospital services.

“If we want to keep our hospital, we need to act together,” Torbay Heart Campaign chair Susie Colley told supporters during a meeting at Torquay’s Grand Hotel. “It’s up to you to help us retain our hospital and save our lives.”

Around 300 people packed into the Grand for the meeting called by the Heart Campaign to plan its next move in response to fears for the future of care.

The local Integrated Care Board (ICB) had been due to send a representative to discuss its ‘five-year plan’ which campaigners fear will mean heart attack patients having to travel to hospital in Exeter rather than Torbay.

“People will die,” said one member of the Grand Hotel audience. “That’s the bottom line.”

But the ICB changed its mind and did not send a representative, citing the restrictions placed on public bodies during pre-election periods. There are council elections in Exeter and Plymouth next month, although none in Torbay.

An angry Susie Colley told the meeting: “They’re too scared to come. They’ve run a mile!”

Mrs Colley said the ICB’s five-year plan lacked transparency and clarity, and should be explained to the public.

“We are seeing services and departments quietly moved to Exeter, and vacant posts not being filled,” she said. “There are concerns that Torbay’s accident and emergency department could close at weekends.

“We can’t just stand by and watch our hospital being gradually reduced, service by service and post by post. Our services are being eroded in a quiet and sinister manner.

“Tonight we draw the line.”

Mrs Colley shared the platform with retired consultant cardiologist Dr Phil Keeling, who warned that losing cardiology services at Torbay would lead to other departments being closed or moved.

The meeting also heard how a 10-year public campaign in Huddersfield had fought plans by the local ICB to move accident and emergency services.

“It’s about time we started legal action here,” said Mrs Colley. “We will need a lot of cash if we want to save our hospital. The Heart Campaign can’t do this by themselves.”

In a statement, a spokesperson for the NHS Devon Integrated Care Board explained the board’s absence from the meeting.

It said: “While the meeting is taking place in Torbay, the One Plan for Devon relates to health and care services across Devon, including areas where local elections are taking place.

“Given the level of public interest and the likelihood of wider media coverage, NHS Devon is unable to attend public meetings during the pre‑election period, in line with restrictions that apply to public bodies.”

The statement went on to say that the ICB wanted to reassure people that it was fully committed to ‘ongoing engagement’ with local people over the summer. The One Plan for Devon document does not represent final decisions about individual hospitals or services, it said, adding: “Our local hospitals play a vital role in our communities and will continue to do so.

“We are committed to being open and transparent and involving local communities as plans develop.”

Details of the fighting fund are being published on the Heart Campaign’s Facebook page.