Get Involved
Torbay Hospital’s cardiac unit needs more than quiet support – it needs visible, vocal, practical help from the people it serves. Whether you can give time, skills, money, or just your voice, there is something meaningful you can do.
Use this page to join the campaign, share information, and help protect life-saving cardiac care in Torbay.
Stay Connected
The fastest way to stay up to date with events, news, and urgent calls to action is through our Facebook group.
Follow, share, and invite others to join – it makes a genuine difference to how far our message travels.
Visit our Facebook GroupJoin Us
Your support helps us print leaflets, posters, banners, meeting materials, and keep the campaign visible across Torbay, Teignbridge and the South Hams. We are building a visible, local movement to protect cardiac services. Here are practical ways you can help right now:
- Leaflet your street or neighbourhood – help us reach people who are not online.
- Put up posters – in your window, workplace, community centres, shops and cafes (with permission).
- Display a banner – at home, at local events, or in high-visibility locations.
- Host or attend local meetings – invite friends, neighbours and colleagues to hear what’s at stake.
- Share your story – patient, family member, or staff: your experience helps others understand why this matters.
If you’d like to help with leafleting, posters or banners, please contact the campaign team so we can coordinate materials and areas:
I Want to HelpDonate
If you are able to donate, you can do so directly by bank transfer using the details below.
Donate via Bank Transfer
Bank: NatWest
Account Name: The Heart Campaign
Sort Code: 54 10 39
Account Number: 16174712
Host a Coffee Morning
Invite friends, family or colleagues to a simple coffee morning and turn conversation into real support for local cardiac services. Whether at home, work or in your community space, every cup shared helps raise vital funds for the Torbay Heart Campaign and keeps life-saving care closer to the people who need it most.
Our Journey So Far
This timeline traces the real sequence of events that led to the threat over Torbay Hospital’s cardiac unit — from the initial proposals in early 2025, through the public outcry that forced a temporary withdrawal, to the ongoing county-wide review that still places local emergency cardiac services at risk.
It brings together documented milestones from NHS Devon, statements from clinicians, public meetings, community reports and campaign activity. As new information emerges, this timeline will continue to grow with the help of our team, supporters and local residents.
- 2025 A year of proposals, public pressure, and an ongoing fight to protect Torbay’s cardiac unit.
- February 2025 NHS Devon announces an eight-week “test and learn” trial to move out-of-hours primary angioplasty (pPCI) for heart attacks from Torbay Hospital to the Royal Devon & Exeter (RD&E). Torbay cardiologists and MPs raise urgent concerns about patient safety and the impact of longer journey times.
- May 2025 After strong opposition from consultants, patients, campaigners and elected representatives, NHS Devon withdraws the trial proposal. The decision is presented as a “pause”, and local clinicians warn that the underlying threat to Torbay’s cardiac unit remains.
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July 2025
25 July: A report is published ahead of the 31 July NHS Devon ICB meeting, setting out work on a county-wide “case for change” covering prevention, emergency care and planned cardiology services across Devon.
31 July: The ICB discusses this case for change. No specific relocation proposal is put forward, but campaigners note that emergency cardiac care at Torbay is now being considered within a wider reconfiguration. - August 2025 22 August: Public Governor John Kiddey, who had previously spoken out against moving emergency cardiac services from Torbay to Exeter, resigns from the Council of Governors. The Trust records this as his personal decision, adding to local concern about how dissenting views are being handled.
- September 2025 NHS Devon begins wider engagement on the future of cardiovascular services across the county. The Heart Campaign steps up efforts to collect patient stories and evidence, making the case that moving services away from Torbay would worsen outcomes and deepen existing health inequalities.
- October 2025 Local councillors, community groups and campaigners warn that, despite reassurances, the review could still lead to centralisation of emergency cardiac care in Exeter. Concerns grow about the impact on older, rural and coastal communities who would face longer, riskier journeys.
- November 2025 The ICB updates its timetable for the formal consultation on cardiovascular services. Business groups, including Brixham Chamber, underline the urgency of protecting Torbay’s cardiac unit and call for maximum public participation in the process.
- Looking Ahead The Heart Campaign continues gathering patient stories, legal advice and community support, making the case that emergency cardiac care must remain close to home in Torbay. This timeline will be updated as new decisions, meetings and milestones are announced. The Campaign continues to ask questions using Freedom of Information requests - we have yet to receive answers to many of our questions - shortly we will be adding an FOI library.
This campaign is only as strong as the people behind it.
Follow us on Facebook, volunteer your time, display materials, share your story, or support us financially if you can. Every action – large or small – helps keep Torbay’s cardiac care close to home.