PATIENTS in Holsworthy and the surrounding area could be hit by a double whammy of cuts to the provision of their health care following the awarding to Devon Doctors of a contract to provide out of hours service.

There is also talk in the community that Holsworthy Community Hospital may still be at risk of losing its hospital beds.

Devon Doctors will provide the county’s new integrated urgent care service, which will include the NHS 111 and out of hours GP service, from October 1.

Devon Doctors, a not for profit social enterprise, has delivered out of hours medical care across the county since 1996 and put in a bid to run the new service, which, in line with a new national model, would see out of hours care and the 111 helpline much more closely aligned.

However, from October 1, there will no longer be a treatment centre on a Saturday morning at Holsworthy Hospital for people needing to see a GP out of hours.

Holsworthy’s doctors’ surgery practice manager, Jane Wells, has written to the CCG expressing her concern at the deterioration of primary care outside practice hours.

As of October 1, the nearest treatment centre for people living in or around Holsworthy will be the one in Barnstaple. Devon Doctors said it is exploring the possibility of people in North Devon also being able to utilise the treatment centres across the border in Cornwall.

A spokesperson for Devon Doctors said: “We appreciate people will be disappointed that, as of October 1, the Holsworthy Treatment Centre will no longer operate on Saturday mornings. However, it has long been one of the least-utilised bases anywhere in the county and faced with reconfiguring the service [in line with new national guidelines for integrated urgent care] without exceeding the available budget demanded Devon Doctors explore all possibilities.

“Nevertheless, Devon Doctors believe they will benefit from a more efficient integrated urgent care service, which will make better use of the available resources while continuing to deliver safe and efficient care.”

The Post has previously reported that last October, the Northern Devon Healthcare Trust announced community beds would be retained at Holsworthy Hospital, but that beds in Bideford and Ilfracombe Hospitals would close.

In February, semi-retired Holsworthy GP David Hillebrandt warned residents should be prepared to fight for the beds at Holsworthy Hospital again. He said at the time that newly drawn up plans could eventually lead to the closure of four community beds in the town’s hospital.

Such an action, Dr Hillebrandt said, could be deemed by North Devon Healthcare Trust’s board of directors as an ‘operational matter’ to be managed internally and would not need to be taken to public consultation.

It is understood of the 16 beds at Holsworthy Hospital, 12 are used by Holsworthy GPs for their patients, and the other four are for use by Northen Devon Healthcare Trust consultants, but that since March, the consultants have ceased to provide cover for them. It is also understood the Holsworthy GPs have already offered to look after these patients in the additional four beds, but so far the Northern Devon Healthcare Trust has declined to engage in discussions.

George Thomson, medical director for Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust, said: “There are no current plans to close or reduce the number of beds at Holsworthy Hospital. We continue to work with local GPs in Holsworthy to ensure that there is high-quality medical cover for patients at the hospital.

“As part of the Success Regime, health and social care leaders across Northern, Eastern and Western Devon are in the process of developing options to transform services across the county to ensure they are clinically and financially sustainable for local people for years to come. Once these options are announced, local people will be able to have their say.

“We understand that many people are concerned about local services being discussed as part of the Success Regime, but it is important to note that everything across the health and social care system is being considered as part of the Success Regime and nothing is off the table.”

More information about the success regime can be found at www.newdevonccg.nhs.uk/about-us/success-regime/101821