THE future of a South East Cornwall hospital that councillors fear has fallen into ‘a state of severe neglect’ will be part of the wider debate about the future of the NHS in Cornwall, say health chiefs.

Saltash Town Councillors are seeking reassurances about St Barnabas Hospital, the town’s community cottage hospital.

At last week’s council meeting, Cllr Gloria Challen showed pictures which she said highlighted areas of disrepair.

In a statement, the council said: ‘It was also stated at the meeting that there was further neglect and dysfunctional parts of the Hospital with no evidence of putting these vital facilities back into use in the near future.

‘There were concerns raised at the meeting, that there was no evidence that the minor injuries unit, which closed in February 2017, will open again.

‘We were assured at the time that the closure would be for only three months and temporary.’

The council is to write to NHS Property Services and other stakeholders ‘expressing grave concerns at St Barnabas Hospital’s ongoing neglect’.

The statement said the council is ‘seeking clarification and an urgent assurance that St Barnabas will not continue to get into disrepair and any necessary work on the hospital will be carried out as a matter of urgency’.

NHS Property Services, owners of the building, and Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, the service provider at St Barnabas, insisted they are maintaining the building.

In a statement, the organisations said: ‘As owner of the building, NHS Property Services continues to carry out essential building maintenance, in line with its responsibilities as landlord. Recent work includes security improvements, drainage works, asbestos removal, a fire door replacement and tree surgery.

‘In the longer term, the emerging Shaping Our Future plan (Cornwall’s Sustainability and Transformation Plan) to transform health and care services is being developed by health and social care partners across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. To ensure NHS money is spent wisely, decisions on larger investment in the hospital estate will be taken once the outcomes of this process are confirmed.

‘As part of the wider work supporting the Shaping the Future programme, Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and NHS Kernow meet regularly with a local stakeholder group which includes members of the Town Council, GPs and the League of Friends to explore how the hospital can continue to support the health needs of local people.

‘By working closely with this group, it was possible last summer, to relocate a number of community teams from the local Health Centre to the Hospital. This allowed a programme of development work to be undertaken at the Health Centre.

‘We were due to meet with the local stakeholder group on March 1, but had to cancel this, due to the adverse weather.

‘At the next meeting, we will provide an update on the discussions currently taking place with colleagues at Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust about what other services could be offered locally from St Barnabas.’

Two wards with nine beds were closed in February 2017, with 25 nurses and health care assistants transferred to the 44-bed Liskeard Community Hospital. The minor injuries unit was closed in December 2016.