WEST Devon and Torridge MP Geoffrey Cox has thrown his weight behind local people concerned over the future of the Redvers mental health unit in Okehampton, which remains 'in suspension' after being closed last autumn.

His sentiments were this week echoed by a local campaigner who fears it could be 'lost for ever' unless people fight to retain it.

The Redvers Unit, a six-bed unit for older people with mental health needs, based at Okehampton Hospital, had eight full time staff.

Day care was provided every weekday on the unit and the team oversaw a second day care unit which ran twice a week, jointly provided by health and social services. The community mental health team was also based there.

Mr Cox this week expressed 'profound disquiet' about the suspension of the Redvers Unit.

He told the Times: 'There is a huge and growing need for mental health services for the elderly, much of it untapped and unmet, and I find it disturbing, at such a time, that another valuable facility has been suspended in West Devon.

'I shall be expressing my profound disquiet to the chief executive of the Devon Partnership Trust when we discuss this very soon, and seeking his assurance that this suspension is not the consequence of another centralising drive for economies, at the expense of those who live in rural West Devon and Torridge.'

Okehampton resident Pam Stewart is concerned for patient care.

Mrs Stewart, a founder member of the Okehampton Sustainable Development Group, said: 'When they closed our two hospitals and opened the new one we lost the availability of 14 beds.

'At the moment, only 16 of the 25 beds we have are open due to staffing problems. At the same time staff from the Redvers Unit are being sent to work at other hospitals because the unit is closed.

'Apparently, we do not have enough elderly people in this huge catchment area with dementia and mental health problems to keep the unit open.

'I, for one, find this very hard to believe.

'There must be thousands of people in this country sitting at home with elderly relatives with dementia who are not getting any help.  

'If we don't fight to retain the services of our mental health unit here in Okehampton it is going to just disappear.'

Devon Partnership's NHS Trust said it appreciated people's concerns but said patient care would be provided and staff should not be concerned about their future.

The trust's Andi Hayles-Wright, modern matron for older people's mental health services in mid-Devon, said: 'The work of the Redvers Unit is greatly valued by the local community and we fully understand the concern that may be caused by the temporary suspension of the inpatient service at the unit.

'Our decision to suspend this service is based on variable and declining demand for beds, but we are keeping a close eye on the situation and reviewing it regularly.

'It is important to point out that the community team and day care service continue to provide a high quality service to local people.

'We have worked closely with people, their families and carers to minimise inconvenience and disruption and to ensure that appropriate alternative arrangements for care have been made.'

Mr Hayles-Wright said in the longer term, the trust wanted to rely less on in-patient beds for older people with mental health needs and place more emphasis on early intervention and diagnosis, memory services and first class support for carers and people in their own homes or the local community.

He said this strategy 'was a model that is working well in other parts of Devon and the country as a whole'.

'We would assure staff and the community that there is no question of job losses at the unit but staff are being redeployed while the in-patient service is suspended and we are very grateful for the flexibility and dedication they have shown.'