Mel Stride MP has held meetings with GPs in Buckfastleigh and Ashburton to discuss the future of local healthcare provision.
Discussions centred around the future of Ashburton and Buckfastleigh Hospital and the proposals proposals by the Southern Devon and Torbay Clinical Commissioning Group to close the hospital and use the savings to deliver more home-based care and reduce the CCG’s growing deficit. Speaking after their meeting Mel said:
“There are a number of key areas where we need clarity from the CCG. Firstly, more detail is needed on the transitional arrangements from the old model to the new one – this was something of particular concern to the GPs. Secondly, we need the CCG to be much clearer about where they intend to locate the Health and Wellbeing Centre they are proposing for either Ashburton or Buckfastleigh. In their consultation documents they talk about possibly co-locating it with GP surgeries but no agreement has been reached on this, and we are certainly a long way away from knowing the costs involved.”
Mel has written to the Clinical Chair of the CCG, Dr Derek Greatorex on these points and a number of others raised by local people and has promised to stay closely in touch with the GPs.
