CAMPAIGNERS gathered outside County Hall in Exeter today (November 3) in order to protest the proposed cut of Okehampton Hospital's 16 in-patient beds.

Residents of Okehampton turned up armed with protest placards at the location of today's Northern, Eastern and Western Devon Clinical Commissioning Group (NEW Devon CCG) governing body meeting.

Protesters were objecting to NEW Devon CCG's proposal to cut half of the community hospital in-patient beds across its eastern locality, including all 16 beds in Okehampton Hospital.

Part of today's meeting held by the CCG addressed the up-coming 'Your Future Care' public consultations which will be held in various locations across Devon to discuss the proposed cuts.

The CCG is considering a series of options, including four shortlisted choices.

Okehampton Hospital does not appear in NEW Devon CCG's four shortlisted options, but in the expanded list of choices, it is included in three of the long-listed options; options 5 to retain beds at Tiverton, Seaton and Okehampton, option 10 to retain beds at Tiverton, Exmouth and Okehampton and option 15, to retain beds at Tiverton, Sidmouth and Okehampton.

These options will be discussed in a series of public consultations held by the CCG in the coming weeks.

The fifth option was only added after public backlash, including the launch of the ‘Save our Beds’ campaign by Okehampton residents.

The campaign to save Okehampton's in-patient beds has received plenty of public support, with an online petition to UK Government and Parliament receiving over 1,600 signatures.

West Devon Borough Councillor Mike Davies, who set up the ’Save Our Beds’ Facebook group and online petition, said: 'I had hoped for a lot more protesters. However, we made our point. We now need as many as possible to attend the meeting organised by Okehampton Town Council on the evening of November 11 in the Charter Hall and also to attend the main NHS ‘Your Future Care’ meetings at Charter Hall on November 16.

'We need to keep fighting. Holsworthy saved their hospital due to the large number of protestors. Okehampton can do the same.'

People in eastern Devon who wish to be involved in deciding where community hospital beds could be located in the future are being urged by NHS NEW Devon CCG to reserve places at the public meetings being held in Okehampton on November 16.

The first meeting in Okehampton will take place in the Charter Hall from 2pm until 4.30pm, and the second meeting will follow shortly after at 5pm until 7.30pm.

Everyone who wishes to attend the public meeting can register by telephoning 01392 356084 or emailing [email protected].

Full papers and information about the public consolation involving the hospital and governing body meeting are available on NEW Devon CCG’s website www.newdevonccg.nhs.co.uk.

To sign the 'Save our Beds' online petition visit: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/169206.

For more information on where you can sign a manual petition to visit the ’Save Our Beds’ page on Facebook.