Threat to community hospitals in Cornwall

Stratton Community Hospital near Bude reopened in 2012 after extensive rebuilding and restoration work costing £3.3million. Now community hospitals right across Cornwall could be under threat of closure, as local NHS trusts begin to put together their plans for the next five years.

At the moment no final decisions have been made but an outline transformation plan has been published explaining how the health service wants to move towards preventing ill health by changing our lifestyle and providing more care at home or in the community, rather than in hospital. The report concedes this may mean a reduction in the number of community hospitals in Cornwall.

The outline plan is designed to provoke discussion so people will get involved in community events in January to have their say. A detailed plan will then be put together and put out for consultation next summer.