A DERMATOLOGY service has opened at South Hams Hospital in Kingsbridge, as patients on the east of the area are still told to travel for treatment.

The Friends of the Hospital heard last year that some local patients were being referred to Derriford or Torpoint for treatment. After much discussion, the NHS has now added this clinic to Kingsbridge, which should avoid unnecessary, long distance trips.

If your GP refers you for skin treatment, please enquire about attending this clinic in Kingsbridge. It is important that the service is used because it is being introduced for a trial period only and may be withdrawn if insufficiently utilised.

Meanwhile, Dr Sarah Wollaston MP and the Hospital Friends asked the NHS to follow its own mantra of ‘putting patients first’ and rethink the current situation where patients in Chillington are unable to receive treatment in Kingsbridge.

Currently, two Clinical Commissioning Groups cover the South Hams. South Devon and Torbay CCG cover the eastern side of the area: Start Point, Chillington, Totnes, Dartmouth and Brixham; while New Devon CCG cover the western side: Kingsbridge, Salcombe, Ivybridge and Plymouth.

Colin Pincombe, chair of the local League of Friends, asked that NHS if patients living in the east of the area, for example, in Chillington, who are treated at Torbay Hospital, should be able to access post-acute services at South Hams Hospital.

He said: ‘At the moment chemotherapy is only offered in Kingsbridge if you have been referred to Derriford Hospital for cancer treatment so, even if you live near Kingsbridge, repeated trips to Torquay would still be required.’

This issue has not yet met success. The Friends asked Dr Sarah Wollaston MP and the Hospital Friends asked the NHS to follow its own mantra of ‘putting patients first’, but the requests have been rejected on the grounds that admin procedures - for example, pharmacy prescription, are incompatible between Kingsbridge and Torbay.

Colin Pincombe says that he ‘intends to continue to pursue this request’ and would be interested to hear from patients where this is an issue.

He makes the point that all residents, including those who generously support the League, should be allowed to use services currently available at their local hospital. Mr Pincombe can be contacted by writing c/o South Hams Hospital, Plymouth Road, Kingsbridge, TQ7 1AT.