Seaton & Colyton MATTERS

Chair of NHS board who wants to close part of our hospital ‘went into politics to oppose community hospital closure’

Posted on October 20, 2023

Dr Sarah Wollaston, the chair of the Devon Integrated Care Board (ICB) which is closing part of Seaton Hospital, is the former Conservative MP for Totnes who lost her seat after switching to the Lib Dems in 2019.

According to Wikipedia, she was ‘ spurred into politics by her opposition to the threatened closure of Moretonhampstead Community Hospital in 2006’.

The hospital is still open today: The Mid-Devon Advertiser (27 July 2006) reported:

‘Friends of the hospital, who raised £500,000 for its refurbishment in the 1990s, promised the trust ‘one hell of a fight’ if [the hospital was closed]. But now the trust has recognised the benefits brought about by new arrangements in which hospital staff and GPs work more closely together. 

The hospital has also started to offer services such as blood transfusions which were previously only available at Exeter’s RD & E Hospital. None of the community hospital’s nine beds have been closed as they are proving cheaper than acute beds in general hospital and trust spokesman, Nick Pearson, said the future was looking bright.

“Offering more services locally is of benefit to local people and it’s also good for the local NHS economy as it provides better value,” he said.

Surely there is a lesson for the ICB here – look again at referring the Seaton wing to Property Services, bring in more services locally, and turn the hospital into a community health hub – or reopen the ward for aftercare and pandemic preparedness.

Thanks to Cllr John Heath for initial research.