RESIDENTS in the new constituency of Central Devon will be given the opportunity to comment about NHS services during the next few weeks. County Councillor and Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate Sally Morgan has launched a survey to all residents living in towns in Central Devon that are served by a community hospital, such as the one in Okehampton The survey is designed to provide a snapshot of how people in Okehampton use the NHS, what their experiences are and how they think it can be improved. Cllr Morgan said: '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. '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. '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.' The surveys will arrive in the Okehampton area within the coming weeks.
