AS A RESIDENT of Holsworthy I was disappointed to read the article in the 'Post' of June 18 regarding the withdrawal of general practice out of hours medical cover at Holsworthy Hospital on a Sunday morning.

It appears that, yet again, Holsworthy is suffering from being located at the edge of the county and far from the offices of service providers who have no knowledge of the practical difficulties of accessing health facilities.

This decision is totally contrary to all the assurances given to the people of Holsworthy when 'Devon Doc' originally took over the contract for out of hours cover for the area and appears to have been taken without any local consultation. It means that from 1pm on Saturday until 8am on Monday our area will have no doctor based closer than Okehampton or Bideford and there will be a natural and understandable reluctance to visit if a patient is unable to drive to one of these treatment centres. The concept of cross border cover with the Cornwall GP out of hours service is a fallacy.

On Sunday, June 14 the 'Devon Doc' service based at Holsworthy Hospital for the morning shift reviewed five inpatients on the wards, visited one housebound patient several miles from the town, provided acute medication for two local patients, saw and admitted one child to hospital and consulted with several other patients either seen at the hospital or by telephone.

In the future will these ill patients be happy to wait until Monday or be able to travel?

Out of courtesy a copy of this letter has been sent to 'Devon Doc' by email today. I should declare a personal interest since I have worked for Devon Doc in the past and hope to do so in the future.

Derriton,

Holsworthy.