12. Health

A significant increase in the elderly population is expected in the area by 2021 placing additional strain on the health and care services. There is currently a problem with severely overstretched domiciliary services for the elderly and single patients newly discharged from the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital.

There is now an increasing focus on healthy diets for children in school, and recognition that poor diets among children can only be turned round in the context of support for families. The FAMILY FESTIVAL PROJECT AND THE CHILDREN’S CENTRE PROJECTS seek to provide information and facilities to achieve the outcome of a better diet for children.

12.1 Health perceptions

12.1.1 The 2001 Census records people’s perceptions of their health, and also those who are recorded as having a limiting long-term illness. The graph below shows the percentage of those perceiving themselves as in good or fairly good health, those who perceive themselves to be in poor health and those recorded as having long-term illness.

12.1.2 The percentage figures show that Tiverton parish has a similar proportion of people with long-term illness as Devon. This is significantly above the remaining parishes and above the average for England. The concentration of this group in the town eases the delivery of healthcare services.

12.2 Medical provision in the villages

12.2.1 Doctors’ surgeries are located in Silverton, Thorverton, Sampford Peverell and Bampton.

12.2.2 There is a pharmacy and a complementary medicine centre in Bampton, and a pharmacy in Silverton.

12.2.3 There is a dental practice in Templeton.

12.2.4 Fitness classes of various types take place in the local community centres and church halls across the area.

12.3 Medical provision and health related services in Tiverton

12.3.1 There are two doctors’ practices in the town. One relocated from the centre of the town to the hospital site at the time it opened and one will relocate soon.

12 . 3 . 2 An Out-of-Hours GP service operates outside normal surgery hours (evenings, nights and weekends).

12.3.3 There are three dental practices in the town.

12.3.4 There are four optical practices in the town, three local practices and Specsavers.

12.3.5 There are three private chiropodists in the town.

12.3.6 There are private physiotherapy and complementary medical services available.

12.3.7 Counselling services available include stress-related illnesses, eating disorders, personal relationships, bereavement and abuse.

12.3.8 Some counselling services are available at Tiverton High School.

12.4 Tiverton hospital

12.4.1 In 2004, the District Hospital in the centre of town and Belmont Hospital, formerly the Victorian
Workhouse, in Belmont Road, were closed, and a new district hospital opened opposite Morrisons supermarket on Kennedy Way.

12.4.2 Tiverton Hospital is managed by the Primary Care Trust and has a Minor Injuries Unit, maternity care for uncomplicated deliveries, including birthing pool, some Day Surgery, and beds for acute cases and the elderly. Consultants from the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital visit Tiverton hospital to take various clinics.

12.4.3 Tiverton Hospital League of Friends is a well supported organisation that raises funds to assist procurement of additional specialist equipment not funded by the NHS, and monitors standards at the hospital. It provides a library service at the hospital.

12.4.4 The hospital has a well developed ‘Expert Patient’ programme helping patients with chronic long-term disability to understand and manage their condition, and encouraging them to pass on their experience to others developing similar conditions. It is estimated that this has resulted in a 16% drop in emergency operations during 2005.

12.5 Regional hospitals, Primary Care Trust and Patients Forums

12.5.1 Most patients are sent to the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital for major treatment.

12.5.2 In the north and west of the area, patients may be referred to Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton or North Devon Hospital in Barnstaple.

12.5.3 For highly specialised treatment, patients may be sent to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth and or to hospitals in Bristol.

12.5.4 The ‘Choose to Book’ system is used by GPs to refer patients to the hospital of their choice.

12.5.5 The Mid Devon Primary Care Trust was disbanded on 30th September 2006, and replaced by a larger Devon Primary Care Trust covering Exeter, East, West, Mid and North Devon.

12.5.6 The Mid Devon Patients and Public Involvement Forum has been replaced by a Devon Patients and Public Forum. There are three local sections within this. Tiverton market town area is served by a committee covering Mid, North and East Devon.

12.5.7 There is a Patients Advisory Liaison Service (PALS).