A RANGE of new health services is being launched in East Cornwall after a drive by local residents to get care closer to home.

The arrival of the areas very own podiatric (foot) surgeon kick-starts a whole programme of community hospital service improvements in Saltash and Liskeard that can be accessed free-of-charge by GP referral, preventing people having to travel to Derriford.

All the services will be available to residents in the area, including those living in Callington, Calstock and Gunnislake.

A team of experienced consultants will be providing surgery from August 24 for conditions like haemorrhoids, circumcision, vasectomy and, potentially in the near future, primary abdominal wall hernias. This surgery will be offered out of St Barnabas in Saltash.

A consultant-led one-stop urology clinic (dealing with problems associated with the urinary tract) will be available at both hospitals and an ultrasound service will be provided at Liskeard in addition to a new NHS practice in Saltash.

Podiatric surgeon Richard Goslin has been commissioned by NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly to provide day surgery for a range of conditions, including bunions, neuroma, toe and forefoot deformities and soft tissue problems like cysts.

Acting locality manager Jo Beer said: It is great that we have been able to expand the services offered locally in East Cornwall.

It means that more patients can be cared for closer to home and for a much wider variety of health issues. We know that this is something that patients prefer and we are committed to delivering other service enhancements in future.

Many of these community hospital services are available on what we call a choose and book basis, so when a GP refers you, you can choose which hospital to be treated at. Having these services available closer to where people live makes treatment much more accessible and convenient.

East Cornwall GP Dr Neville Devonport said the local community had been developing these plans for two years and it was good news to see more locally available services with improvement in the use of community hospitals.

He said credit was due to the members of the Saltash Strategy Group and Gateway Community Interest Company.

Director of partnership commissioning for NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Antek Lejk said: We are committed to providing a new dental practice in Saltash, with capacity for additional NHS patients and extended opening hours in response to local feedback.

We are currently in the procurement process but should be able to make an announcement at the end of the summer, with a view to getting services running from the autumn.

Cornwall councillor for Callington Andrew Long said he welcomed the provision of additional health services at the East Cornwall community hospitals, which would remove the need, in a lot of situations, for visits to Derriford.

It is going to be important to continue to support the provision of health facilities in the local area as only by using the local service do we secure its long term survival, he said.

The minor injuries unit at Liskeard is a prime example as it offers many of the services that Derriford does including X-ray facilities which are vital for sports and other injuries.