THE NHS Trust that manages Okehampton and Moretonhampstead community hospitals has announced its measures to try and stand up to the tests of winter.

The Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust, like most others, experiences higher demand for its services and an increase in hospital admissions during the winter.

In recent weeks the trust has launched a series of projects in a bid to ease the increased pressure on resources during the winter months.

These include the provision of extra beds at times of peak demand, increased ward rounds to assist with prompt discharge, extra rapid response, and community staff to support people in their homes, avoid admissions and support discharges from hospital.

Kate Lyons, the trust's director of operations, said: 'The colder weather at this time of year always brings an increase in health problems, including respiratory illness, flu, norovirus and injuries caused by falls or slips.

'We have robust plans in place to cope with the extra pressure this puts on our acute, community and specialist services, and to deal with severe weather if it comes.

'Our priorities are to ensure critical services operate as normal in our hospitals and to identify and care for our most vulnerable patients, with the aim of avoiding unnecessary admission to hospital where possible.

'Our community nursing teams have been visiting vulnerable patients at home to ensure they are prepared.'