OKEHAMPTON has put a ’red line’ around its hospital to campaign against cuts to hospital services.

Following a decision in March by health bosses at NEW Devon CCG to cut all 16 in-patient beds at Okehampton Hospital, campaigners joined a county-wide protest to prevent further cuts by creating a human circle around the hospital whilst wearing red.

This symbolic ’red line’ protest was replicated at several other hospitals across Devon.

The protest was organised by Save Our Hospital Services Devon and held on April 1.

Ian Crawford, spokesperson for SOHS Devon, said: ’We have been told when it comes to cuts to health services in Devon there are no red lines. We in SOHS say there are red lines!

’We have co-ordinated public support across the county to oppose NHS England’s Sustainability and Transformation Plan, which under the guise of providing a better service will in reality mean a cut of £550-million from Devon’s health spending.’

During the public consultation period on bed losses, a petition with more than 3,500 signatures was handed to the CCG fighting to save Okehampton Hospital’s beds.

The strength of feedback from public and clinical stakeholders has not changed the proposal to close beds at Okehampton, but the CCG agreed that in light of the rurality and associated factors, it would commission further work to assess the services needed in the Okehampton area.