‘WE desperately want to keep our hospital open’, a resident told Launceston Town Council last week, as there were calls for a public meeting in the town on the future of the community’s NHS healthcare.

However, councillors also heard there had been some reassurance from the NHS to Launceston Hospital staff that the hospital ‘is not closing’ — and Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust has confirmed this to the Post.

On the agenda for last week’s town council meeting, which was held on February 21, was the Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) — the outline plan says a reduction in the number of hospital beds and community hospital sites in Cornwall could be on the cards.

St Stephen by Launceston Rural Parish Councillor and Launceston resident Joan Heaton told town councillors: “We desperately want to keep our hospital open. I would like councillors to call a public meeting to address anxieties about our hospital.

“I’m particularly concerned about the future of our hospital.”

Cllr Dave Gordon, who has recently joined the League of Friends of Launceston Hospital, said the league had received an email from hospital staff following a recent visit by Phil Confue of the Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

Cllr Gordon said the email stated: “I have met with Phil Confue and he gave hospital staff reassurance the hospital is not closing.”

He added: “We have all got concerns. Hopefully these are honest words.”

But Cllr Paul O’Brien criticised those words: “There is no commitment to retaining it in its existing form. Theoretically they could close it down to the equivalent of a booth providing walk-in advice and that statement would be true.

“I’m grateful to Cllr Gordon for what he’s done, I’m grateful to him making that available to us. Do I trust it? Like hell I do!”

Cllr O’Brien said the land for the hospital had been donated by a local family in 1936, and councillors agreed to look into the origins of the land further.

Cllr John Conway proposed a public meeting for the community to ‘show it is 120% behind keeping its hospital’, to which NHS and local health centre representatives would be invited. This too was agreed.

During discussion on the STP outline plan, Cllr Rob Tremain said: “We have had this scant document. There are no firm proposals. It states they hope to adapt community hospitals to help GPs.

“I don’t know what magic wand do the superior council powers think they will use — social services are struggling now.

“Launceston Hospital is a vital part of our healthcare community. Launceston’s the centre of a huge area, a rural hinterland around Launceston. It serves a large disparate population. Integrated public transport is still a dream in our part of Cornwall.

“We must all work hard to ensure we support Launceston Hospital in any way we can.”

A spokesperson for Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust when contacted after the meeting told the Post the information heard at the meeting was ‘absolutely correct’, adding: “Phil Confue did speak to staff and there are no plans to close Launceston Hospital.”

Launceston South Cornwall Councillor, Liberal Democrat Jade Farrington, said: “When it became known that the NHS was considering closing some Cornish community hospitals I spoke at their public consultation and asked that if they took one thing away from the meeting it should be that Launceston Hospital is a vital service and must not be closed.

“I made enquiries and was reassured that Launceston Hospital is not one of those being considered for closure and it is not under threat.

“I am very angry that the Conservative government continues to slash funding for local councils, education and health services. No hospitals should be closing, so I was pleased to support the motion put to the last full council by councillors Rob Rotchell and Sue James which condemned the cuts and demanded fair funding.

“If Launceston Hospital or any other service comes under threat from future Conservative cuts then I, [Liberal Democrat Cornwall Councillor for Launceston North] Adam Paynter and [Liberal Democrat Cornwall Councillor for Launceston Central] Gemma Massey will campaign vigorously against them.”