The latest indications were that Kingsley Hospital at Bideford would close under the reorganisation programme, confirmed the Medical Officer of Health for Bideford Rural Council, Dr N Bowring Betts, at Tuesday’s Council meeting.

He told Mr Jack Prince: ‘It is not being used to capacity by any means’. He thought, however, that the hospital might be used more for the care of older people who needed a rest but could not get a hospital bed. He pointed out that it was planned to use the Bideford and District Hospital for geriatric cases.
When Mr Prince said he hoped this did not mean that anyone who was seriously injured in an accident would have to go to Barnstaple for attention, Dr Betts commented ‘This tendency is already in operation – anything of a serious nature must go to Barnstaple’. Mr Prince said it was a serious state of affairs when one considered the delays which might be experienced because of heavy traffic during the summer months and Dr Betts agreed that it could be quite serious, but presumably there would one day be a fast road through to Barnstaple. He could not envisage there being a house surgeon at Bideford in the future.
Mr W T Harris pointed out that on the other hand there would be better facilities at Barnstaple and Sir Dennis Stucley said in an emergency it was far more important to have the best facilities and skills concentrated centrally and this would fully balance the adverse risk of extra time in journeying for some cases.