Torbay Hospital faces possible cuts amid NHS Devon “case for change”

Hundreds of residents attended a public meeting to turn up the heat on health service bosses amid growing fears that life-saving treatment for heart attack victims still face devastating changes.

Torbay Health campaigners are stressing the recent U-turn on taking heart attack patients to Exeter was a battle won, not a total victory, with a potential still for cuts to services at Torbay Hospital as NHS Devon is preparing what it calls “a case for change”.

The meeting called to discuss how to campaign against potential cuts to Torbay's health services, had already heard consultant cardiologist Dr Milad Hassoon outline his deep concerns about the potential for changes to heart services at Torbay Hospital. 

Former patients of Torbay Hospital’s cardiology team were nearly in tears as they recounted the lifesaving treatment they had received, with one man simply saying “I would have died seven years ago” without the treatment he received.

The meeting became heated when Professor Chris Balch, Chair of Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, rose from the audience to speak about the position of the local health trust, following claims Torbay Hospital’s management were “not loud enough” in opposing the proposed changes.

Professor Balch outlined how the NHS workforce was “fragile” and there was a “need to look at how resources across Devon are used.”. Yet it was his claim there are only enough NHS staff for four of Devon and Cornwall’s five acute hospitals, which caused the most concern. One angry clinician immediately challenged Professor Balch as to whether this meant Torbay Hospital had been earmarked for closure.

The Heart Campaign, which organised the meeting, has been set up to coordinate action opposing any change to the cardiology services operating out of Torbay Hospital that is considered detrimental to the local population. It is being chaired by Torquay Chamber of Commerce Chair Susie Colley, who told the meeting: “If cardiology goes then like a domino effect other services will be lost at Torbay Hospital”.

The campaign group has set up its Facebook group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/1512857529737937

Torbay MP Steve Darling along with other South Devon Lib Dem MPs, has also launched a protest petition.

Former Torbay MP Kevin Foster was also at the public meeting, he said: “Whilst the first battle has been won, it's clear there is still a fight we must win to protect our local health services.”