"Important services needed locally"

I was referred by my GP (Wooda, Bideford) for an assessment at "Extended scope Pysio/Orthopaedic Interface Service. This led to a number of sessions of physiotherapy.

They have been easy to organise (re times and dates), convenient and very effective.

While I don't expect my (nearly seventy year old) joints and limbs to work perfectly all the time having had a number of injuries over the last fifty(ish) years, I feel equipped with a range of remedial exercises which keep a slowly degrading knee joint in reasonable working order.

I have done these exercises consistently at home and have felt an enormous improvement.

This is due to the expertise of the practitioners involved.

The convenience of the facility is vital.

Had I been traveling into Barnstaple/Exeter the sessions would have been far more sporadic and I would have questioned the effectiveness of traveling so much for sessions of 45 or 50 minutes. (Bideford; 12 miles round trip. Barnstaple; 36miles round trip. Exeter; about 80 miles round trip.)

For the sake of fitness and the resultant reduced pressure on central services, it is essential these small, local, clinics are maintained.