“A ‘confidential’ briefing to Conservatives on Devon County Council confirms community hospital beds across the county will be cut and patients will not be admitted for treatment and care ‘unless it is absolutely necessary’.
The NHS has planned a series of carefully orchestrated announcements tomorrow (Wednesday 21st) but it has now been revealed that Devon’s Conservative councillors had a confidential email last week telling them about some of the planned cuts.
It’s angered other councillors who are demanding to know why confidential information was given to the Conservatives on Thursday last week (15th).
Cllr Alan Connett, Shadow leader of Devon County Council and leader of the Liberal Democrat opposition, said: “The NHS belongs to everyone. We are all concerned about what the new plans will mean and how treatment will be affected for residents.
“Yet again, we find the Conservatives at County Hall think the rules don’t apply to them. Isn’t it hugely arrogant of them to slip out a secret briefing in the early hours of Thursday to their own councillors a full week before NHS managers announce their plans publicly.
“It’s another Conservative shambles and will greatly undermine any confidence we can have in them or the NHS which, presumably has been telling county hall chiefs what’s in the cuts pipeline.
Across Devon, people may well be wondering if some grubby private deal has been stitched up between NHS bosses and county hall Conservatives over these planned cuts.”
In a confidential email to just Tory councillors, Conservative Stuart Barker, cabinet member at county hall for health and adult social care, said: “There are some consultation documents going out from the NHS which are likely to have an effect on the budget for adult social care.
“I am sending you a synopsis of some things that are in the consultation documents and included some information about how DCC (Devon County Council) could be impacted.
“We shall be working with NHS partners to ensure DCC has a share of any savings that can be found.”
And Cllr Barker goes on to tell his Tory colleagues: ” The NHS believe that there are too many people in community hospital beds across Devon, who don’t need to be there.
“Every day, in NEW Devon, there are 150 people in community hospital beds that could be cared for at home. In addition, of the current 247 community inpatient beds across the NEW Devon CCG (clinical commissioning group) footprint approximately 100 beds are unused.
Cllr Connett added: “We can see what’s planned, can’t we? The NHS is reported as saying they don’t need the 150 beds now being used and, by strange co-incidence, there are 100 beds not being used at all. Magically, the two come to around 250 – the same number of community hospital beds the NHS want to close.
“I’m as keen as everyone else to hear what the NHS plans are for health cuts across Devon, but I think it is totally wrong for the Conservatives to sneak out a private briefing just for their councillors, which will undermine the whole public consultation process the NHS is about to launch.”
East Devon Watch 
Personally I have completely given up on ANY expectations that Conservatives will be open, transparent, honest, truthful, fair, open to persuasion etc. as there are far too many examples at all levels of central government of them being the opposite and very few (if any) examples of them being this.
Central government: Brexit lies about EU costs, and ability to stay within the single market without freedom of movement. Remain lies about doom and gloom. Academy schools – not in manifesto, no debate, effectively an attempt at privatisation by stealth. Devolution via LEPs – undemocratic, little debate, effectively privatisation by stealth. Unwillingness to allow second house to veto legislation (even though their constitutional role is to provide a check and balance on the primary house) – and unwillingness to allow debate about the reasons they want to veto it.
Local government: Don’t get me started about EDDC – but examples (off the top of my head – undoubtedly a researched definitive list would be much longer) include the Tripartite deal to make East Devon part of Greater Exeter signed without reference to councillors much less the public, Knowle FoI secrecy and obstructive behaviour with the courts, failure to investigate Graham Brown / East Devon Business Forum, many dodgy-looking development decisions etc. etc. Devon CC is a little better, but see above for examples of dirty / secretive behaviour.
BOTTOM LINE: The Conservatives cannot be trusted!!
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