Devon County Council have been carrying out a consultation with parents and other interested parties about how the Council is changing the way it delivers help and support to families in the County. In principle the idea that underpins the change is a very good one. At the moment, access to support services is restricted by the level of need and the requirement for a professional or medical referral. The intention is to move to a universal offer of support for families with children between the age of 0 to 19 years old (and up to 25 for young adults with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities - SEND and those from a care or institutional background).

At present, there are 27 Childrens Centres around the County. The Council wants to rationalise the delivery of services by establishing a series of Family Hubs in each District Council Area supported by outreach hubs in each Community.

The description of the revised service offer and what will be on offer at a Family Hub sounds absolutely inspiring. The consultation talks about a "welcoming virtual and physical space" about forming "partnerships in the community" and about ensuring "best value". 

We all know that our County Council is struggling to balance the books and resources and finances are being stretched ever more thinly. There will certainly be an element of economy and financial stringency in their plans. One can see the idea of involving charities and the community in the delivery of care and support services, coming through in the consultation very strongly. 

But for Oketonians, this is all potentially meaningless. Why? Because when one looks at the geographical provision of these new Family Hubs and outreach centres on a map, one large glaring hole appears - there is absolutely nothing in Okehampton and the immediate surrounding area!

It would appear that parents and families in the Town or the associated smaller towns and villages of our North Dartmoor area, such as Chagford, which fall withing West Devon Borough Council, are expected to use either a centre in Tavistock or Hatherleigh.

This is simply unacceptable and we need to make a fuss about it! In the Consultation document there are a few words and crumbs of comfort - the Consultation document includes the phrase: "There are plans to develop a Community Hub in Okehampton Hospital and the Family Hubs will be able to link to this".

The next and obvious question to be asked is does anyone involved with Okehampton Community Hospital know about this? Certainly the Town Council, among others, were sent a briefing in May by NHS Property Services, which did not contain any mention of this. All the briefing contained was an update on the situation of the building and its maintenance plus an acknowledgement that meetings with "community representatives" are underway.

We are in contact with most of the community organisations that might be involved in such discussions and no one that has been approached knows anything about such meetings.

As a direct result of this lack of information, Okehampton Town Council took a decision at Full Council on 24th June, that it would take an active interest in the situation of the use of the Hospital and the state of health care services and delivery in its area of responsibility. This changes a decision that it had made before Xmas 2023, when it was felt that involvement would be best undertaken by Councillors actin individually.

As commented by Cllrs. Christine Marsh and Mark Richards and also Cllr. Jan Goffey of Hamlets Parish Council, this personal intervention has not brought about any serious consideration of the concerns of Oketonians about their Hospital and their health care.

The most likely outcome from this change is that a new overall survey of the health concerns and service delivery will be undertaken in the Autumn of 2024 which will act as a catalyst for the provision of information about future plans which can be tested for appropriateness against the feedback received.