Ann McClements, chair, Devon Senior Voice, writes:

Devon Senior Voice is very conscious that summer is ending and winter is approaching, which means that illnesses will increase, especially among older people. Last year several of our hospitals were on ‘black alert’, causing the treatment of many patients to be seriously delayed.

In August DSV participated in a BBC Radio Devon ­programme on baby boomers, and we are aware that this age group is approaching 70, when long-term health conditions kick in.

The age of Devon’s population is above average compared with the rest of the UK, and those born just after the end of the Second World War in 1945 have now reached 70.

It is very noticeable that Exeter and Plymouth have a much younger population than the rest of Devon.

Comparing the censuses of 2001 and 2011, in England as a whole the proportion of 65 and overs increased from 15.5 per cent to 16 per cent of the population, whereas in rural Devon – excluding the cities – the same percentage went from 21.9 per cent to 23.9 per cent – an extra 18,446 people.

This illustrates clearly that the growth of the elderly population is greater in rural Devon.

The catchment areas of our major hospitals at Derriford and Torbay include Cornwall and Torbay respectively, as well as Devon, and the respective percentages for these two areas are 20.1 per cent to 21.7 per cent and 22.5 per cent to 23.7 per cent, again illustrating the above-average age and also the above-average growth.

We appreciate that certain procedures have become more efficient, but at the same time many more treatments are available.

Given the increased demand, and with the knowledge that there is a backlog in certain ­specialities, the NHS needs an increase in full-time-equivalent hours.

What are the plans by the NHS’s Northern, Eastern and Western Devon and the South Devon and Torbay Clinical Commissioning Groups to increase the number of ­clinicians to cope with the underlying demand?