Residents in Totnes and surrounding communities are being invited to a public meeting to discuss concerns about the future of services at Torbay Hospital.

The meeting, organised by the Save Torbay Hospital campaign, will take place at St John’s Church in Totnes on Thursday, September 11. Doors open at 7.15pm, with the meeting due to start at 7.30pm.

The campaign began in response to proposals affecting cardiac services at Torbay Hospital, including the potential transfer of emergency heart care towards Exeter.

Those proposals have since been paused, rather than scrapped, according to the campaign. It has subsequently broadened its focus following developments concerning other hospital services.

Campaigners are now raising concerns about proposed changes involving histopathology and oral and maxillofacial surgery, as well as what they describe as wider questions about the long-term future of acute and emergency care at Torbay Hospital.

Campaign chair Susie Colley said communities across South Devon relied on the hospital’s services, including Totnes and the surrounding area.

She said: “What began as a campaign to protect our cardiac services has become something much bigger.

“As further proposed changes have emerged, we believe the public deserves to understand what is happening and to have a meaningful voice in decisions that could affect the future of our hospital.”

The meeting will give residents the opportunity to ask questions, hear the campaign’s concerns and find out how they can support its work.

Councillors, the local MP and other elected representatives have been invited to attend.

However, Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust has rejected suggestions that cardiology services are being moved to Exeter.

In a statement issued on August 26, the trust said: “There are currently no proposals to move the cardiology services provided at Torbay Hospital to Exeter.”

It said it continued to invest in local cardiac services, with refurbishment of the hospital’s cardiac catheter laboratories among its two major capital priorities for this year and next.