Devon Liberal Democrat MPs Unite to Strengthen NHS Primary Care

Devon Liberal Democrat MPs Unite to Strengthen NHS Primary Care  

Devon’s Liberal Democrat Members of Parliament have united in an urgent call to the Department for Health and Social Care to address the mounting challenges faced by NHS primary care in the region. In a joint letter to the Rt Hon Wes Streeting MP, the Minister for Health and Social Care, they have highlighted the critical need for reforms and resources to support the first point of contact in the NHS, including GPs, pharmacists, optometrists, and dentists.   

The MPs — Steve Darling (Torbay), Caroline Voaden (South Devon), Martin Wrigley (Newton Abbot), Richard Foord (Honiton and Sidmouth), Ian Roome (North Devon), and Rachel Gilmour (Tiverton and Minehead) — are working closely with statutory committees representing NHS primary care to ensure that Devon’s residents receive the healthcare they need and deserve.  

In their letter, the MPs underscored the unique pressures faced by the healthcare system in Devon. These include:  

• Being under NHS Oversight Framework Level 4 (NOF4), which imposes tight financial controls prioritizing emergency and inpatient care, thereby limiting investments in community and preventative care. 
• Challenges linked to an ageing population, a smaller working-age demographic, large rural areas, high regional deprivation, and seasonal population increases. 
• Workforce recruitment and retention struggles compounded by financial constraints and the systemic focus on acute care metrics.  
   

The MPs voiced concerns about the potential long-term consequences of continued underinvestment in primary care. They noted that this approach risks worsening health inequalities, undermining patient safety, and increasing costs in the long run due to the well-documented link between insufficient community care and poorer health outcomes.  

"Primary care is the frontline of the NHS, and it’s clear that neglecting this vital service will lead to a domino effect across the entire healthcare system," said Steve Darling, MP for Torbay. "Our constituents depend on their GPs, pharmacists, dentists, and optometrists as the first point of call for healthcare. We must prioritise support for these services. Sadly I am only too aware of this crisis, which only exacerbates the pressures on Torbay Hospital.” 

The MPs called on the Health Secretary to:  

1. Reconsider the rigid financial restrictions imposed on NHS Devon under NOF4, enabling more flexibility to pivot from acute to community care as recommended in the Darzi Report. 
2. Rebalance NHS performance metrics to focus on community and preventative care measures, fostering long-term sustainability and health improvements. 
3. Support innovation and investment in Devon’s primary care workforce to address recruitment and retention issues, particularly in rural and deprived areas.  

Ian Roome, MP for North Devon, added: "Devon’s health system bears a huge responsibility, and its challenges need a coordinated approach across the county. We’re urging the Minister to take decisive action that prioritizes primary care and safeguards the long-term health of our communities."  

The MPs also highlighted the risks of inaction, referencing the collapse of primary care services in Plymouth in 2017 as a stark warning of the consequences of neglecting frontline NHS services.  

"We’re determined to ensure that Devon’s primary care services are equipped to meet today’s challenges and tomorrow’s needs," said Martin Wrigley, MP for Newton Abbot. “Following the cancellation of the Teignmouth Health and Wellbeing Centre and the rise in national insurance, it’s becoming impossible for GPs to plan for the next financial year, whilst the government continues to refuse to make an early publication of the funding arrangements for the next financial year. By acting now, we can build a more sustainable and effective NHS for everyone in Devon." 

“Primary care is the first port of call for many of my constituents when they are in need of medical attention” added Rachel Gilmour MP, from the constituency of Tiverton and Minehead, which spans the Devon and Somerset border. She continued, “We cannot underestimate the effect of gaps in provision on the quality of service. In Minehead in my constituency, there is only one GP practice for an area of 11,000 people. Add to that a population that is older than the national average, and the complexities of providing primary care in a rural area, and it is clear that this Government needs to seriously grasp this issue, and do far more than the previous Government, who only dedicated 6% of the NHS budget to primary care.”