“The idea of moving the cardiac unit is nothing short of insane.”

This is the voice of one person who had a major heart attack and survived thanks to the prompt care he received at Torbay Hospital’s cardiac unit.

Yet the unit, one of the country’s best performing, which is where South Hams patients routinely go, is facing an uncertain future. Campaigners believe that the restructuring of NHS services in Devon, now under discussion, will mean the unit is shut and all patients will have to go to the already overstretched Exeter hospital.

Susie Colley is determined to stop this and has set up The Heart Campaign Torbay.

It has a comprehensive website which urges everyone to join in. “If the Cardiac Unit is merged with the RD&E, we believe the whole health system in Torbay and surrounding areas will be seriously compromised and the knock-on effect of that will ripple out to every other department of the hospital.”

Testimonies from patients back up how vital getting prompt treatment is. One woman says: “I can honestly say that if it hadn’t been for Torbay Hospital, I’d be a widow today as my husband wouldn’t have made it to Newton Abbot, let alone Exeter.” Another says: “I am 100% convinced that without the skill of the paramedics, the cardiac team at Torbay and all the nurses who cared for me, I wouldn’t be here today. It was and is clear to me that time is of the essence if serious damage is not done to the heart muscle causing major disabilities. If I had had to go to Exeter I am certain I wouldn’t have made it.”

It’s known that there’s a “golden hour” in which to get treatment. Delays risk further damage to the heart and, often, to untimely death.

One 61 year old man, out cycling, had a cardiac arrest at a busy roundabout. He was revived at the roadside but arrested again in the ambulance. Rushed to the cardiac unit he had a stent and other procedures, spent 7 days in an induced coma then two days in the ICU and 36 hours on a ward before being discharged. He says: “It is highly unlikely that I would have survived if I had had to go to Exeter. The odds of surviving as I did were less than 20%.” And another says : “There is no doubt in my mind that it would be
a major tragedy if the cardiology dept is moved to RD&E and will only result in many unnecessary deaths. “

Susie Colley, a former cardiothoracic nurse, says: “Why mess around with something that works?” Torbay’s cardiac unit is recognised as fourth best in the country for primary angioplasty outcomes. It’s also brought in valuable research.

Heath commissioners are now looking at the five year plan for Devon services – in fact they are meeting today (March 26) – and Susie has been asking questions about where the cardiac unit fits into this.

Because it’s been threatened before.

Susie explained. “This time last year the Integrated Care Board put forward a plan, a test and learn, where they thought it would be a terribly good idea to suggest that they close the coronary care unit in Torbay on a Friday to a Monday for an eight week period, God knows why, so I came up with Oh good how many people are you going to
kill! Because if people are having a heart attack they’ll have to go to Exeter and by the time you get to the top of Telegraph Hill you are dead!”

Her words had some effect. “They paused it. But we haven’t won. The word was paused…..of course the ICB then came back and said we are going to put it in our draft case for change in the five year plan.”

The health and care strategy announces: “NHS Devon Integrated Care Board (ICB), responsible for planning, funding, and overseeing services across the county, is leading a bold and necessary transformation.” And it continues: “To stimulate transformation, growth funding will be directed into a Neighbourhood Development Fund, supporting schemes that reduce acute activity and improve community-based care. Specialties such as dermatology, urology, orthopaedics, and cardiology will be commissioned through lead provider arrangements, with further transformation planned in urgent care, community hospitals, and midwifery led units.”

I’d be a widow today

What that actually means, Susie remains unsure. Meanwhile Susie has been sent – and has sent to the Totnes Pulse – this media statement.
Libby Ryan-Davies, Chief Strategic Planning and Commissioning Officer at NHS Devon, said: “Our board will be asked to consider a recommendation to bring the case for change for cardiology and cardiovascular services into our wider health and care planning, including our five-year commissioning plan and the neighbourhood health model we are beginning to implement. This would allow us to look at the whole picture—how we prevent heart and wider health problems, diagnose them earlier, and support people closer to home, alongside the care provided in hospital.”
She continues “Taking this joined-up approach will help ensure services are sustainable for the future and continue to meet the needs of our communities. We know people care deeply about their local heart services, so we want to be clear about what’s being proposed. No decisions have been made at this stage, and there are no plans to change where cardiology services are delivered right now. We are committed to keeping local people, staff and stakeholders informed and involved as our plans develop.”

The Heart Campaign is holding a public meeting on April 13 at the Grand Hotel in Torquay – all welcome. It starts at 5.30.

Susie admits she has a rather cynical view of the “bold and necessary transformation”, which she fears will lead to the downgrade of Torbay Hospital. “Down here we have hills, and sheep, and visitors and clogged roads. It’s a different demographic and a different geography. I think some twerp up in London has looked at a map and thought
Plymouth, Torbay, Exeter – you don’t need Torbay let’s get rid of it.”

“They’ll do it over my dead body.”
Find the website at theheartcampaigntorbay.co.uk