A last-minute move by NHS Devon to delay the decision on a “test” which could see heart attack victims taken from Torbay to Exeter for pPCI treatment, rather than Torbay Hospital, has been welcomed by local health campaigners.
The proposal for the “test” was due to be discussed at tomorrow’s (Thursday 29th May 2025) Devon Integrated Care Board Meeting (ICB). Board Members were being asked to agree a “test and learn” process on “consolidating” pPCI services in Devon, yet after a public outcry across our bay, the Chair and Chief Executive announced today (Wednesday 28th May) they have decided to withdraw the paper from the meeting.
Alongside objecting to the proposed test, campaigners had been dismayed with the disrespectful and dismissive way the proposals were due to be considered by the Devon ICB. Despite the serious implications for Torbay and South Devon, details of the proposal were buried on page 255 of a 405-page set of documents, with only 20 minutes scheduled for discussion on it. This is 8 minutes less than the 28 minutes which would have been added to the average ambulance journey time for patients from Torbay and South Devon by the proposed “test”.
pPCI, also known as angioplasty or coronary angioplasty, is a procedure used to treat narrowed or blocked coronary arteries, often as an emergency treatment for heart attack (STEMI), by opening the artery with a balloon and placing a stent to keep it open. Currently patients from Torbay and South Devon are taking to Torbay Hospital to receive it. Yet the proposal which was due to be debated tomorrow would have seen many taken to the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital instead, increasing average journey times from 15 minutes to 43 minutes for pPCI treatment.
Former Torbay MP Kevin Foster said: “I welcome news this “test” has been pulled from tomorrow’s Board Agenda at the last minute after a public outcry about it.”
“Having buried details on page 255 of a 405-page document, the proposed 20-minute discussion was a disrespectful and dismissive way to treat such a serious issue for our bay. Yet today’s announcement from NHS Devon is only a delay in considering the proposal, not a decision to abandon it, so the pressure must be kept up.”
It is now expected the proposals will be considered by the Devon ICB at a meeting in July.
