SOUTH Hams residents took full advantage of an opportunity to hear from – and question – MP Sarah Wollaston and NHS managers at an event in Kingsbridge last week.

The Conservative former GP, whose Totnes constituency covers most of the South Hams, discussed her role as chair of the Health Select Committee and the current and future state of health services in the UK, at a meeting facilitated by Sandy Gilbert at Quayside Leisure Centre.

Senior NHS administrators from Northern, Eastern and Western Devon CCG – the organisation responsible for commissioning health services in most of Devon – emphasised that neither Kingsbridge Hospital, or its Minor Injuries Unit, are under threat in the current shake-up of community healthcare.

Dr Wollaston began by explaining the role of the Health Select Committee, saying that its job was to hold the government, and bodies responsible for delivering care, to account.

She discussed how the committee had looked into recent problems with emergency care, and had also held hearings looking at the response to ebola and the issue of mentally ill children being kept in police cells.

The MP said that her position on the committee allowed her to draw in the experiences of people living in the South Hams, and make sure that the rural aspects of health care were not forgotten in the 'London-centric' world of Parliament.

She also said that she tried not to neglect other issues in the constituency, like the vulnerable Slapton Line and the fishing industry, and urged people to contact her if there was anything they wanted brought up.

Members of the audience then asked questions, with Dr Wollaston referring some to Rebecca Harriott, chief officer of NEW Devon CCG, and Nicola Jones, a manager in the western area.

Local Liz Evans mentioned that a Fit for Life class at the leisure centre had dropped from twice to once a week. She was supported by a Tone Leisure representative, who said that GP referral schemes often did not break even, but that they had traditionally found it hard to obtain financial help.

Dr Wollaston was quizzed on the details of controversial trade deal TTIP, but said that she would not support the treaty if it threatened the NHS, and that all publicly-funded healthcare was exempt, no matter who it is provided by.

A question from Rosie Barratt led to a discussion of privatisation in the NHS. Dr Wollaston noted that at present only six pence in every pound was spent outside the NHS, less than many thought, and said that GP practices had always been run on a small business model.

She said that what people feared was having to pay for healthcare, which was 'absolutely not going to happen'.

Another audience member spoke of a good experience at Kingsbridge hospital and Daphne Jefferson from the hospital's league of friends asked for confirmation that the hospital and its minor injuries unit would remain open.

Rebecca Harriott said that the current model of the hospital was 'very much fit for the future', and the CCG was 'committed' to maintaining both the hospital and the MIU.

Nicola Jones added that the CCG absolutely saw the need for minor injuries provision in Kingsbridge, and it would continue to be available in the future.

Debbie Clift from the Chemotherapy Outreach Project described her frustration over struggling with the different levels of bureaucracy around the hospital, while resident Jane Smith asked if there were plans to improve the training and status of care workers nationally. Dr Wollaston said that a lack of training and acceptable pay levels for such workers were serious issues, and that what was needed was a 'universal standard of care'.

Ideally, she would like to see health and social care joined up – and both provided free of charge – but that at the moment this was not affordable. Some ways of funding this that had been suggested were to increase National Insurance contributions for over-40s, look at benefits for wealthy pensioners, and require them to continue paying NI after retirement.

Sandy Gilbert, event facilitator, said: 'I think it went off well, so many relevant question very fully answered by both Sarah and Rebecca.

'Attendance was great, both by the community and busy health professionals. It was a good opportunity to have all the "cogs" in the wheel under one roof.'