Plans have been revealed that could see Sidmouth lose all of its inpatient beds.

NHS NEW Devon Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) this week unveiled a consultation document featuring four options for the future of services in the region – two of which would mean Sidmouth Victoria Hospital retains 24 beds.

But the preferred option would see the town left with none and the provision spread between Tiverton, Seaton and Exmouth.

The CCG’s consultation document – entitled Your Future Care – sets out proposals to ‘improve your future care in NEW Devon by providing more care in people’s homes and avoiding hospital admissions where possible’.

The document says: “To achieve this we need to shift our resources and focus from hospital beds to the care surrounding our patients in their own homes.

“This consultation is therefore about how we decide the location of fewer community hospital inpatient beds in Eastern Devon whilst giving people the reassurance as to the improved care they can expect instead in their own homes.”

More than 80 doctors, nurses, therapists and social care professionals from across our health and social care system have worked together to develop the proposals.

A consultation will get under way on October 7 over four options of where as to where inpatient beds will be located in East Devon and Exeter.

The four options being considered are:

A) 32 beds in Tiverton, 24 beds in Seaton and 16 beds in Exmouth.

B) 32 beds in Tiverton, 24 beds in Sidmouth and 16 beds in Exmouth.

C) 32 beds in Tiverton, 24 beds in Seaton and 16 beds in Whipton.

D) 32 beds in Tiverton, 24 in Sidmouth and 16 beds in Whipton.

Honiton and Okehampton will both lose all their inpatient beds.

The cuts are intended to help plug a £400million deficit by 2020/21.

Read more and reactions to the news in tomorrow’s Herald.