REPRESENTATIVES from the Northern, Eastern and Western Devon Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) were in Okehampton on Friday, October 27, to meet with Central Devon MP Mel Stride and various local stakeholders including Okehampton Town Mayor Jan Goffey, Devon County Councillor Kevin Ball and West Devon Borough Councillor Mike Davies.

Mr Stride organised the meeting to seek answers on a number of specific issues relating to the hospital, as well the CCG’s general plans for the future, from CCG Chair Dr Tim Burke and RD and E Chief Executive Officer Suzanne Tracey and Integration Director Adele Jones.

Cllr Ball, who has set up a strategic group looking at broader health care provision in Okehampton and the surrounding areas, including senior CCG and RD and E members, said: “It was important to get answers on the availability of the x-ray machine, which will be back and fully operational in the new year, and get confirmation that no services currently available at the hospital will change before the completion of the needs analysis being undertaken.

"We must look forward and work together to get the best possible outcome for residents in Okehampton and I am encouraged by the progress being made.”

Mr Stride added: “This was a positive meeting. It was good to see that constructive engagement is now happening between the CCG and the local community. We need to keep this going and, if we do, we look set to have a sensible action plan in place in the new year.”

Mel also took the opportunity to raise the need for progress from the CCG/RD and E on the future of services available from Crediton Hospital.

Alan Quick