THE community hospital at Okehampton is among health services that came under different management last week.

Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust (NDHT) will manage community health services, including district nursing and physical therapies, across Exeter, East Devon and Mid Devon. It will also be responsible for some specialist services across the whole of Devon, including podiatry and audiology.

It will manage 12 community hospitals in Okehampton, Axminster, Budleigh Salterton, Crediton, Exmouth, Honiton, Moretonhampstead, Ottery St Mary, Seaton, Tiverton, Whipton and Sidmouth.

These hospitals were previously run by NHS Devon (the Primary Care Trust).

The changes are the result of the Government's Transforming Community Services initiative, a national programme which aims to strengthen community services and bring healthcare closer to home.

It also requires that NHS Primary Care Trusts can no longer both commission and provide services.

In line with this, Devon's Primary Care Trust stopped providing healthcare from April 1.