A PACKED meeting in Okehampton last Thursday heard how the town?s new hospital was due to make pioneering steps in the treatment of patients once it opens this May.
The hospital is nearing completion and the meeting, in the Charter Hall, heard that exciting and innovative times lay ahead.
Okehampton GP Tom Bell explained the idea behind a new ?integrated health care clinic?, which will bring together GPs and complementary practitioners using methods such as acupuncture, herbalism and homoeopathy.
Dr Bell said the approach could be of particular use to patients with chronic, long-term pain or ill health.
He said highly skilled practitioners would work alongside the GPs and in time, valuable research would be accumulated.
Dr Bell said: ?People will suffer, people will have illness and many won?t get better, but how they respond to that illness and how we in this hospital can help people feel better is really important. It seems to me we have a wide range of ways of doing this and I think it?s a really exciting project.?
Okehampton GP Paul Nielson, who has been a driving force behind the new hospital scheme, said the ethos was to create a ?centre for health?, in which the building and its environment could play a positive part in the healing process.
He paid tribute to the ?phenomenal? work put in by all those involved in the new hospital and to the generosity of the people of Okehampton who supported the fundraising campaign to make it the ?best in Britain?.
The next step was to raise £100,000 to landscape the grounds, through the new ?tree of life? campaign, said Dr Nielson.
David Loader, landscape designer, said everyone contributing would be given a plan of where their tree or shrub was planted.
Mr Loader said the front of the building, with its fantastic 45ft pergola donated by the hospital?s League of Friends, was one of the ?most important? parts in landscape terms.
?It?s not going to look like a Sainsbury?s car park,? he said. ?We want it to look welcoming, with ornamental planting that will lift the whole site.?
Mr Loader said there was plenty of room for specific areas, for example, a greenhouse, herb garden, or areas which particular groups in the community could adopt.
There were also courtyards ? one of these will be for use by elderly or confused patients, containing planters and sculptures created by students at Okehampton College.
Another will be turned into a healing garden by internationally respected Japanese garden designer Mr Kasai.
Speaking through interpreter Dr Junichi Imura of the Johrei Society, which paid to bring Mr Kasai to Okehampton, Mr Kasai said the ?passion and energy? at the new hospital inspired him ?tremendously?.
He said: ?Being close to nature reminds us we have to look after our own health. The garden is not healing from looking at it, but because it inspires you to bring out the inner potential to be healthy.
?This is an Okehampton garden and it?s being created by you ? your hearts are in it ? I will do whatever I can to make a garden you can be proud of.?
Architect James Brooke said he was proud to be part of the team working on the hospital.
?I love this idea of the tree for life. A lot of people have contributed to this building and this campaign is going to give a lot more people the chance to say ?I?m part of this?,? he said.
The new hospital is due to open its doors on May 22.
Anyone who wishes to contribute to the tree for life campaign should complete the coupon on the opposite page or drop a cheque payable to the New Okehampton Hospital Appeal Garden to Okehampton Medical Centre, c/o Dr Paul Nielson.