Venner’s earlier remarks here:
https://eastdevonwatch.org/2017/04/06/tory-dcc-candidate-in-ottery-thinks-hospital-closure-is-progress-and-it-was-just-a-geriatric-home/

Swire’s agreement here:

So, if you think it is positive and right to close your community hospital because it’s just a “geriatric home” – Venner and Swire are your (negative!) candidates and heaven help you when you.

It used to be that geriatric was defined as anyone over 60 – so Mr Swire is nearing that age and Mr Venner looks like he might qualify too – let’s hope neither of them finds the need for NHS geriatric care any time soon as, given local NHS plans, there won’t be any – though, of course, there will be luxury geriatric care for those who can afford it (perhaps at the Knowle in Sidmouth)!

Meanwhile remember that Independent candidate Claire Wright has campaigned tirelessly for a better, more secure NHS, wants to protect your environment – and isn’t geriatric but is willing to fight for anyone in that corner too!

And this information might be helpful for Messrs Swire and Venner:

“Data gathered by the charity Skills for Care, shows that in 2015-16 there were more than 1.3 million people employed in the adult social care sector in England.

Analysing the data, BBC News has found that:

An estimated 338,520 adult social care workers left their roles in 2015-16. That is equivalent to 928 people leaving their job every day.

60% of those leaving a job left working in the adult social care sector altogether

The average full-time frontline care worker earned £7.69 an hour, or £14,800 a year.

One in every four social care workers was employed on a zero hours contract.
There was an estimated shortage of 84,320 care workers, meaning around one in every 20 care roles remained vacant.”

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-39507859