Speaking at Cornwall Council’s Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee, David Wilson, area director at Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, reassured councillors that the hospital remains “front and centre” in long-term plans for healthcare in the region.
“It’s a trusted hospital for care in its community and we certainly recognise that,” Mr Wilson said. “The investments we’ve made in recent history, particularly around diagnostic capability, reinforce that message.”
Mr Wilson emphasised that while the nature of hospital care is evolving — shifting from bed-based services to more community and home-based care — there are no imminent plans to reduce the number of beds at Falmouth Hospital.
“There is no reduction of beds at all,” he told the committee. “There are 20 beds on the Falmouth site and no plans to close those imminently. We want bedded care to go into the community, but we’re not there yet.”
This reassurance comes after the Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust previously confirmed it was reviewing the use of its 20 inpatient beds at Falmouth Hospital, with a view to potentially phasing some of them out.
You can read more about that here: Trust confirms review of use of 20 in-patient beds at Falmouth Hospital
The transformation is part of a wider ten-year NHS strategy aimed at improving outcomes and reducing hospital occupancy. Mr Wilson said the process is still in its early stages, with no definitive plans yet in place.
“We want to start from the bottom up,” he said. “It’s quite an exciting time really, but I would like to reassure this group that Falmouth is front and centre in that future space.”
Committee members welcomed the reassurances but raised concerns about public communication. Councillor Ruth Gripper said initial media coverage had encouraged residents to engage, but lacked clarity on how they could do so.
Wilson acknowledged the issue, saying the trust is still analysing its assets and will engage with the public once more information is available. “Our staff are our most valuable asset,” he added. “We want them to help shape what this could look like.”
Councillor Desmonde was told there were “certainly not” any plans to move Falmouth services to Camborne Redruth Hospital.
However, some councillors expressed scepticism, citing past experiences. Councillor Andrew Mitchell from St Ives referenced the closure of Edward Hain Community Hospital despite years of assurances.
“We should acknowledge the worries and concerns of people living in the greater Falmouth area,” Mitchell said. “We believe nothing should change until a new provision is worked out, agreed, and shown to work.”
Susan Backfield, Chief Nursing Officer and COO of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board, highlighted the health risks of prolonged hospital stays for older patients. “If you’re over 80, for every ten days you spend in hospital in bed, you lose 80% of your muscle mass,” she said. “We’re not going to dismantle services.”
Councillor Steven Webb warned that unclear messaging could fuel speculation. “When the final intention is not clear, people will make up their own minds on what they think you are going to do,” he said.
The committee resolved to work with the Trust to support the transformation of care and called for clear, open, and proactive communication with both the committee and the public. It also raised concerns about press releases that could lead to confusion.