MEMBERS of the Teignmouth Hospital League of Friends say the decision to scrap plans for a new health centre will not benefit the town’s residents. 

But their reaction to the announcement also made a number of suggestions as a ‘way forward’ for healthcare in the town. 

They say the recommendation will ‘result inno new health hub and a demise in our hospital’.

A spokesman for the Friends said: ‘How can this possibly be the promotion of health for the benefit of our residents?’

The Friends has put forward a list of ‘constructive’ proposals for a way forward.

Retaining the historic hospital is a key aim and they claim renovating the building would potential cost less than the £8million the health and wellbeing centre was originally expected to cost.

The spokesman said the hospital is ‘working at full pelt providing a wide range of clinics, procedures and physio’.  

The Friends recently bought a ‘mesher’ for the skin graft unit at a cost of £11,743. 

They have also suggested selling off the former nurses home part of the site and using the proceeds towards refurbishment.

Or that part of the building could be leased to Channel View Medical Group to allow for the construction of a new, state-of-the-art surgery complex there. 

The spokesman said: ‘We reject the notion that the practice needs to be in town.  

‘It is hard to think of any suitable site and experience shows that the vast majority of people get to hospital by car or public transport.’

But the Friends have stressed they will help the surgery ‘in every way possible’. 

The spokesman added: ‘We have believed all along the decisions that have been made have been driven by a blind adherence to a policy to close small community hospitals and the opportunity to sell the site of our hospital, which was given by the residents, and use those proceeds to reduce the trust’s borrowings. 

‘Ironic that they have wasted £1.1m on these now abortive plans.

‘Hopefully this new government and our new MP who has been a stalwart in supporting our cause will be able to save our beloved hospital.’