Geralyn Arthurs, of Teignmouth, writes:

I hope that there are many Teignmouthians and Shaldonians that are as incensed as I am after reading the Teignmouth Post’s leader article (April 20) over the latest developments concerning our hospital.

The manipulation by those in authority to move the goalposts yet again so that they can implement what they had always intended clearly demonstrates that it was not us, the public, who had closed minds over how best to secure the future of our community hospitals.

To promote the advancement of Dawlish Hospital at the expense of Teignmouth Hospital shows that those making the decision have little understanding of the needs and requirements of the infrastructure of Teignmouth town and its surrounding villages. We do not have a similar luxury to Torquay, which has many nursing homes, or indeed Dawlish which has several. Nor do these people understand the true significance of overseeing and promoting the prominence of the first purpose-built NHS hospital in the country.

Teignmouth Hospital is a gem which should be upgraded and treasured. Instead of thinking of closing this historical asset the CCG and the Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust should be doing all in their power to secure refurbishment to enable those 12 rehabilitation beds to be utilised. The claim by representatives of both groups when we were subjected to the pretence of a consultation was that they had open ears and minds to our suggestions. This statement has proved wanting at best; as many felt when undergoing ‘the process’ that they were being disingenuous. Now those very same people think they have a right to call a ‘public engagement’ to hear whether we have changed our minds and are prepared to allow them to CLOSE our hospital instead of reinstating the required 12 rehabilitation beds that they claimed we needed to assist with their planned care for the administration of excellence for our health and wellbeing. With an increased ageing population their platitudes to ride roughshod over our wishes needs to be stopped forthwith and they need to be held accountable to deliver on the service they proposed.

In light of this I call upon all like-minded residents to show the powers that be that when they claim that they have delivered the ‘consultation process’ and have agreed not to close our hospital by supplying and maintaining 12 rehabilitation beds they will be held accountable to keep their word and deliver what they have proposed.

Changing the goalposts three years later is unacceptable and an utter disgrace. They should all be held accountable over the negligent waste of resources and finances that have been spent by us to keep our hospital viable and informed that they cannot renege on their preferred proposal especially when several of our local GPs came up with a better option which would have ensured that both Dawlish and Teignmouth maintained their hospitals for their local communities.

It is now our turn to enlighten them, particularly in this 70th anniversary year of the founding of the National Health Service, that this public institution belongs to us the citizens of this country. I do not deny that it is the duty of politicians to enable the funding of this service and the various trusts and commissions to deliver this service, but the hospitals, all of them, belong to us and it is our right to stand up and protect these assets which are for the many and not the few while being free at the point of delivery. It is outrageous that any medical practitioner or anyone working within the health service thinks it acceptable that PFI hospitals ‘are not allowed to fail’ while considering that it is permissible to strip the assets of established NHS hospitals.