OKEHAMPTON Mayor Cllr Jan Goffey and Okehampton Rural County Councillor Kevin Ball were at County Hall yesterday (Thursday) to formally present the Okehampton Save Our Beds response to the Northern, Western and Eastern Devon Clinical Commissioning Group’s (NEW Devon CCG) proposal to cut half of its in-patient beds across its eastern locality.

Fighting to save Okehampton’s hospital beds, campaigners have formulated a response document that highlights reasons why they think the CCG’s proposal is wrong.

The CCG has proposed to cut all 16 of Okehampton Hospital’s beds as part of a plan to provide care at home, preventing unnecessary hospital admissions.

The CCG’s consultation document has caused controversy as it outlines 15 options but specifies four ‘preferred options’, each of which would result in Okehampton Hospital losing all its beds.

The response document has been written by Dr Elizabeth Passmore, Okehampton Town Mayor Cllr Jan Goffey, mayor’s consort Lyn Evans and Paul Callan, on behalf of a number of representatives from Okehampton, neighbouring towns and villages and local organisations.

Cllr Goffey was allowed to briefly speak to the members and emotionally spoke about the impact on two local families and their inability to have end of life care in Okehampton. She continued to make the point that the potential cuts aren't just about cutting costs they actually have an impact on real people. Cllr Goffey and Cllr Ball then presented the consultation response to the CCG Governing Body members.

It includes background and information about Okehampton Hospital, a list of the core principles of the NHS Charter and NHS values and how the NEW Devon approach is not fully adhering to these plus criticism of the consultation document.

The response states: ‘We have not found the case put by the CCG to be well planned or argued, indeed it is contradictory at times. There are statements, aims, criteria for assessment and so on that do not lead to a reasonable or rational decision. There are errors of fact within the document.’

The document states that the CCG is proposing to replace the existing system, which the campaigners accept does need some alteration, with two major changes — one point of contact, which they said has not been costed, planned in detail or modelled anywhere in the region so cannot be set against current costs, and hospital at home, which they said again has no definitive costings for training, staffing or travel costs and question whether patients would be cared for in their own home to the same level as that in hospital as required by the NHS charter.

It states: ‘We agree changes need to be made, interim funding must be increased whilst alternative systems and savings are explored. Our NHS is too valuable to lose. Saving Okehampton Community Hospital in-patient beds is crucial in preserving our part of the NHS local services.’

Okehampton Town Mayor Cllr Jan Goffey said: ‘We are fighting right up until the end!

‘The beds in Torrington have already been closed and if the beds in Barnstaple go as well then Okehampton will have the only beds to the west of Exeter within the CGG’s eastern locality. But, if the beds in Okehampton close then there will be no beds to the west of Exeter.

‘We are told we can go to Holsworthy or Tavistock but Holsworthy will be taking patients from the north and Tavistock takes patients from Derriford. Neither will have beds for patients from RD and E!

‘The CCG has not taken into account our geographic location nor the fact that public transport beyond Exeter is not accessible easily. We need our beds and families must insist that patients be returned to Okehampton as soon as clinically able. Our beds ARE available and we must fully utilise them!’

The consultation ends today (Friday).