Sir Ed says he is 'genuinely shocked' by current state of hospital

IBERAL Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey believes North Devon District Hospital (NDDH) has one of the strongest cases for investment in the country, given its remoteness.

- by ALISON STEPHENSON

Speaking during a visit to Bideford last week he said the case to triple the number of operating theatres and modernise the outdated facility is "overwhelming" and health ministers need to visit urgently to see for themselves.

Sir Ed, who was given a tour of the Barnstaple hospital in October along with North Devon Liberal Democrat MP and long-standing health campaigner Ian Roome, said he was "genuinely shocked" to see the state of some of the buildings, which are more than 50 years old, and to hear from some of the doctors and the managers that they were "under such strain"

But the Government's implementation of a new hospitals' programme, first announced by the Conservatives to complete 40 rebuilds by 2030 but later scaled back under Labour to save money, means that NDDH won't get a new clinical care building for at least 10 years.