Mel Stride and Angela Browning MP visit Crediton Hospital.
A CAMPAIGNER has reiterated his calls for a prompt solution to safeguard the future of a vital community hospital ward to be found.
Mel Stride issued the call after he and Angela Browning MP visited Crediton Hospital recentyl for a tour if the Kirton and Boniface wards.
Mel, the Conservative Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Central Devon, has been campaigning on behalf of the local community amid growing apprehension over the long-term future of the Boniface Ward at the community hospital.
The ward provides provides vital inpatient care for those suffering from mental illness, including dementia. However, its future has been the subject of intense speculation within the town since the Devon Partnership Trust – which is commissioned to run the ward, “temporarily” closed it to inpatients.
Speaking after the visit, Mel said: “I was last shown around Crediton Hospital in May and it was excellent to be back and to be able to catch up with staff and to talk with patients.
“This is a wonderful and special resource for Crediton but, as in May, there are still parts of the hospital that are too quiet and are being underused whilst discussions about the future of Boniface continue.
“We need to move towards a solution on Boniface as soon as possible in order to get our hospital back up and running to its full potential.”
At the last Crediton Hospital Campaign Group meeting Mr Stride suggested that the group secure a meeting with the Devon Partnership Trust to discuss the options for a way forward and the Trust has now organised this meeting for 25th September.
Since the last meeting of the Campaign Group Mr Stride has had discussions with the Chief Executives of both the Primary Care Trust and the Devon Partnership Trust along with various other stakeholders.
Mr Stride said, “There are various options being considered at the moment but I think it is best to wait until we have had our meeting with the Trust on the 25th before making any detailed comment.”
However, Mr Stride added that he felt there had been some “positive thinking” on the part of the Trust and that there were some specific ideas that he will be pursuing with them at the meeting.
Welcoming the fact that local doctors have formed a group to provide input into the discussions, Mr Stride said: “The views of local medical practitioners will be vital. They are close to patients, to carers and to the hospital.
“They understand both the needs of their patients and the value of the various approaches to care. We should listen very seriously to their comments and recommendations.
If there is a way forward for the hospital that meets with the approval of the Trusts and the campaign group then I will be pressing for the Crediton Hospital Campaign Group to have an official role in monitoring the actions of the Trusts, in terms of their delivery, on all commitments made.”
ENDS
