TOWN councillors told of ‘alarm’ at the lack of progress in deciding the future of their local hospital are to take action.

Nearly a year ago, the minor injuries unit at St Barnabas Hospital in Saltash was ‘temporarily’ closed, and in February nine beds were lost, because of staffing difficulties.

Now resident Peter Thistlethwaite has spoken of alarm at the situation.

Mr Thistlethwaite, who is chair of the Saltash Gateway Community Interest Company, told last week’s meeting of the town council: ‘The minor injuries unit and the beds have been ‘temporarily’ closed for over a year.

‘What we see happening is that some NHS community staff have been moved to work as a team from St Barnabas, which is a good thing; but we have no idea whether local beds will ever return.

‘We know that Saltash people are regularly placed at Liskeard Hospital on discharge from Derriford or directly from home which we do not believe is the right outcome for most individuals. This would denude local provision if continued.

‘We believe that minor injuries will probably become the responsibility of the two surgeries on their own premises, although money to do this has yet to be transferred within the NHS. We think that patients will benefit from this if it is properly funded and organised.’

The town council is to write to South East Cornwall MP Sheryll Murray and to NHS managers in Cornwall about the concerns.

Saltash, with a population of more than 16,000, is served by two GP practices: the Saltash Health Centre on Callington Road, with seven GPs as well as other medical professionals, and the Port View Surgery, with five GPs, three nurses, and three healthcare assistants.

Mr Thistlethwaite said: ‘I think most patients would support the idea that a minor injuries service is provided through the two surgeries and therefore wouldn’t go back to St Barnabas.’

Community and outpatient services are continuing to be run from St Barnabas.

Two wards with nine beds were closed in February, with 25 nurses and health care assistants transferred to the 44-bed Liskeard Community Hospital. The minor injuries unit was closed last December.

In a statement to the Cornish Times, a spokesperson for the Cornwall Partmership NHS Foundation Trust said: ‘Talks about the services at St Barnabas Community Hospital are currently ongoing, taking into consideration which services would best serve the local community in the future.

‘Opening Minor Injuries Units in the town’s health centres is a decision that needs to be made by local GPs.’