AT a recent planning meeting, the MP for Central Devon heard all about how the community in Moretonhampstead and surrounding parishes have been working hard to develop a health and social care hub.

A health and social care hub is a physical space in which providers and organisers of health care, social care and voluntary services are co-located. The community and NHS have met regularly since early 2014 to discuss how Moretonhampstead Hospital could be of most benefit to the town and the surrounding areas in the future.

The planning group is made up of local members of the community including local councillors, representatives from the Hospital League of Friends, Patient Participation Groups (PPGs) from local GP practices, social care managers, and local GPs.

It also includes clinical leads and managers from Northern, Eastern and Western Devon Clinical Commissioning Group (NEW Devon CCG), and Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust, the provider of services at the hospital.

Dr Alex Degan, a family doctor from Mid Devon and board member of the Eastern Locality of NEW Devon CCG, said: 'It was great to welcome Mel Stride, our local MP, to the planning meeting and we were pleased to hear his feedback and ideas as to how he would like to see the hub develop.

'Several clinics are already running from the hub including dermatology, physiotherapy, chiropody and rheumatology clinics and intravenous therapies clinics and falls and balance classes are due to start shortly.

'Further clinics are being developed and it is intended that there will be a wider range of outpatient clinics and voluntary services available at Moretonhampstead Hospital. We also hope that more clinics such as audiology, elderly care clinics and falls assessment clinic will be available in the near future.

'We would also like to explore the option of private sector organisations renting space at the hospital, for example a dentist. We are open minded about other health, voluntary and social care providers using space on the site, as long as their services fit into the overall vision of how healthcare services will be provided locally in the future.

'We will continue to review the design of the building and planning what services could potentially be housed at the hospital.'

Speaking after the meeting, Mr Stride said: 'I welcomed the opportunity to attend the planning meeting and to discuss the issue with the team involved in developing Moretonhampstead Hospital as a Health and Social Care Hub.

'I was pleased to hear about the action to communicate and involve the local community in the selection of current and future services and look forward to see further progress on this.'

The NHS and local community has planned a series of drop-in sessions and public meetings in the Moretonhampstead area and surrounding villages. The main public meeting takes place at Moretonhampstead Sports Hall on Monday, November 3 from 6pm to 8pm. For more information about attending or booking a place, please contact Nicola Webber on 01392 356129.