Our National Health Service - Have Your Say

11.25.37am GMT Mon 11th Feb 2008

Residents in the new Constituency of Central Devon will be given the opportunity to comment about our NHS services during the next few weeks.

County Councillor and Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate Sally Morgan has launched a survey to all residents living in towns in Central Devon that are served by a Community Hospital. The idea is to get a snapshot of how the population here in Devon use the NHS, what their experiences are and how they think it can be improved.

"Our National Health Service is a National Treasure. So many of us rely on it from the cradle to the grave and we are proud of its achievements and the staff who are its lifeblood. Like all organisations it has successes and failures - this survey will give us the opportunity to find out what needs improving and how we can help." Said Cllr. Morgan.

"My own concerns with the National Health Service centre on the 'Democratic deficit' at a local level. Quite often we are subjected to a 'one size fits all' approach that may be effective in cities and urban areas but are disastrous in rural areas such as our own. This is currently demonstrated by the Primary Care Trust wish to move the outstanding Upper GI Cancer services from the RD&E Hospital in Exeter to Derriford in Plymouth. We need to find a way to make local health authorities and decision makers accountable to local people and their needs rather than to Ministers in Whitehall."

Look out for the surveys arriving in the next few weeks and make sure you have your say.