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.”
East Devon Watch 
It may have escaped the less than youthful eyes of Swire and Venner that these old people have a vote and are quite capable of seeing insulting rubbish when offered by a local hopeful politician and one who has ignored his constituency for so long. These two might also ponder the thought that one day, they too may well be old and that thousands of local people, denied riches during their careers, have nevertheless, paid into a service that is being propelled callously into the private sector and out of their reach. Thank heavens for Claire Wright who not only avoids insulting people but also works hard for local voters people, not just before elections but for every day of the year. A vote for Venner increases the prospect of a continuing decline in the NHS as the so-called alternative, care in the community, is but an aspiration for a few whilst many will suffer.
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