A WHISTLEBLOWER member of staff at Crediton Hospital has criticised both the Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust and the Northern, Eastern and Western Devon Clinical Commissioning Group (NEW Devon CCG) concerning plans announced for the future of the hospital. The Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust announced last Friday (September 4) that it is to temporarily close inpatient services at two of its community hospitals, Crediton and Tyrrell, Ilfracombe – from the beginning of November 2014 – due to significant operational and safety issues. Dr Alison Diamond, chief executive of the Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust, said: "Over the last six months, we have experienced significant difficulties in recruiting registered nurses to the inpatient services at Crediton and Ilfracombe. "There are ongoing issues filling the nursing rota and we are often on the cusp of not being able to safely staff both hospitals – and this cannot be sustained heading into the winter when pressure increases. "It is not sustainable to fill the gaps with agency staff because this would mean the only nurses were non-Trust staff and this would carry greater risks with patient safety and continuity of care. "Against this backdrop, the executive directors and most senior clinicians of the Trust felt there was no option but to temporarily close the beds at Crediton and Ilfracombe while we work to address the issues. "By working towards a planned and temporary closure, this will minimise the impact on patients and staff." The Trust said that all current inpatients at both hospitals will be discharged in a "safe and planned way to their home or transferred to another care setting." Kevin Marsh, the hospital's director of nursing, said: "There is a national shortage of registered nurses, and career nurses are choosing to work in larger hospitals or community nursing teams. "We have launched numerous recruitment drives to fill the vacancies and even gone to other European countries to find registered nurses. "By making this decision now, it will ensure we have time to make the very best plans with the current inpatients to ensure there is only minimal disruption to their care. "We appreciate this decision will cause concern among the local community and we did not take it lightly. "However, we cannot fail in our aim to provide safe, high-quality services to our patients. "We would like to thank our committed and dedicated teams who have worked extra hours and gone above and beyond to serve the patients of both hospitals so well over the years." The member of staff at Crediton Hospital, who asked not to be named, told the Courier: "There has been 'scaremongering' about possible closure for two years concerning the inpatient services at Crediton Hospital from senior managers and because of this many staff have left due to the forecast uncertainty of their jobs. "They did not want to work at Crediton Hospital after they were told that jobs there were 'uncertain'. "That is the real reason for the staff shortages, which they now say is the reason for the 'temporary' closure of overnight beds. The member of staff added: "I feel really sorry for the patients. Where will they go?" Like colleagues, the member of staff said they had received a letter concerning the proposed "temporary" closure. The Trust says it started a consultation with inpatient staff at Crediton and Tyrrell hospitals on Thursday, September 4. It says there will be no redundancies as a result of this temporary closure and will work with individual staff members to find alternative positions during the closure. This may include deploying inpatient staff to the community nursing teams. It adds that the Trust's decision is separate from – and will have no impact on – the longer-term engagement by the Northern, Eastern and Western Devon Clinical Commissioning Group in relation to its strategy for the future provision of community services. Members of the public have expressed outrage at plans to transform Crediton Hospital into a Health and Social Care Hub. One woman told the Courier: "Crediton Hospital has been what they describe as a health and social care hub for many years and it is rich for NEW Devon CCG to say it wants more when so many clinics and services for people are already offered there. "I guess they just want to include private businesses like dentists etc who will pay to be there?" Another comment received by the Courier was: "How can the CCG totally ignore the petition which people signed against the closure of overnight beds? "I signed it and so did 3,500 other local people and I haven't even heard the CCG acknowledge it or even respond to it." Another person said: "Temporary closure – that really does make me laugh! When it has closed it will never re-open. Why don't they tell the truth?" Other people have said they fear it is a retrograde step, particularly because they will have to visit patients at Exeter and other remaining community hospitals rather than the nearer Crediton Hospital. NEW Devon CCG has planned a public meeting in Crediton at which people are invited to say what they would like with regard to the future of local health services. This will take place at the Boniface Centre, Church Lane, from 6pm to 8pm on Wednesday, October 1. Drop-in sessions have also been arranged and will take place at Witheridge Parish Hall on Wednesday, September 24 (10am to 12 noon), North Tawton Town Hall on Wednesday, October 22 (10am to 12 noon) and Bow Village Hall on Wednesday, November 5 (2pm to 5pm). For more information about attending these events or booking a place, please contact Nicola Webber on 01392 356129 or email: [email protected]">[email protected] . • What do you think of the plan to close overnight beds "temporarily" at Crediton Hospital from November 1? Share your thoughts with fellow Courier readers – write a letter or send an email, suitable for publication to: [email protected]">[email protected] .