'WE will not sit idly by and allow health services to be centralised unless there are sound clinical reasons' — that was one of the messages from the annual meeting last week of the Friends of Okehampton Hospital.

Chairman Martin Perry told the meeting that the past year saw problems for the Health Service and the message from Government, especially in the wake of the economic collapse in 2009, was that budgets from 2010 are likely to be severely curtailed.

'It is therefore of the utmost importance that our hospital in Okehampton is supported to the maximum degree,' said Mr Perry.

'We, as the friends, wish to see an expansion of clinics and services provided locally and on the spot for the district served.

'We understand the budgetary problems faced by the Primary Healthcare Trust and accept that priorities need to be established, but Okehampton and the surrounding villages represent some of the most rural and remote parts of Devon that require and deserve a fair share of our Health Service.

'We are not opposed to the tendency to treat more patients in their own homes where appropriate but this must never be used as an excuse to cut services for financial savings.

'We therefore welcome the policy adopted by the RD&E Hospital in Exeter to move more clinics and in some cases operations out into the district and community hospitals.'

But Mr Perry said the friends were less happy with the Devon Partnership Trust's policy to close in-patient services in the Redvers Ward and were currently discussing that with the chief executive's office.

The friends continued to receive 'wonderful support from the public in the area' and thanked members for their regular donations.

'We have purchased a great deal of equipment for the hospital – some may say that several of these items should have been supplied by the PCT. It is not a line of argument that achieves very much – our committee's attitude has always been to assess if we think a purchase is justified and if the PCT refuse to supply it then we will.

'We want the very best level of treatment with the best equipment for the people of West Devon who are served by our community hospital.'

Members welcomed Dr Tom Bell from the Okehampton surgery who spoke and answered questions, mainly concerning the reorganisation of the Redvers Ward and the introduction of the Government's new policy on dementia. 

Members expressed concern about distances involved when patients were referred to the Partnership Trust and it was resolved that the committee would seek a further meeting in June with Dave Hodge – the community psychiatric nurse.

Treasurer Lena Williams reported the year had incurred an excess of expenditure over income of some £2,400. It was hoped that the flag week on June 1 to 6 and income from the Okehampton Show stand would help to restore the balance. 

The meeting heard that the committee had already paid for or promised for 2009 an ECG machine, wheelchairs, a skin temperature machine for the podiatrists, a treatment couch and a resusci Anne to assist with staff training.

Officers re-elected: president, John Marvin; chairman, Martin Perry; treasurer, Lena Williams; secretary, Mary Rattenbury.