Community hospitals across Cornwall may be sold off under plans for the future of health and social care in Cornwall over the next five years.

Health and care organisations in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly yesterday published outline proposals in the local Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP), a response to the NHS England Five Year Forward View and Devolution Deal for Cornwall.

Its organisers say it has three aims:

Improve the health and well-being of the local population.

Improve the quality of local health and care services.

Deliver financial stability in the local health and care system.

From this week until January 20, citizens will have a chance to have their say on the local draft plans through a survey or series of community events. Following this, detailed plans will be developed with consultation on any major service changes taking place from the summer of 2017.

The focus within the latest STP document is on preventing ill health and providing as much care as possible at home or in the community.

Phil Confue, senior responsible officer for the sustainability and transformation plan and chief executive of the Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, said: ’In the next five years, we have a once in a generation opportunity to change the way we provide health and social care services for the people of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

’We must put more focus and resources into preventing ill health, keeping people in their homes or communities and adapting services for a growing, ageing and technology enabled population.’

To read more about the local health and social care plans and all the related documents, including survey and community engagement events visit www.cornwall.gov.uk/shapethefuture.