News

We will celebrate the achievements of hundreds of our caring staff and volunteers at an awards ceremony later this year, thanks to support from corporate sponsors.

Our Extraordinary People Awards recognise and celebrate the efforts and achievements of Royal Devon staff and volunt…

A group of South West-based researchers have shown that early improvements in asthma symptoms can help predict how effective treatment will be in the future.

Experts at the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, the University of Plymouth, and the University of E…

We were delighted to welcome Minister for Health Karin Smyth to North Devon District Hospital (NDDH) today to see firsthand the need for targeted phased investment in the NDDH ahead of the full hospital rebuild plan expected to start no later than 2038.

Minister Smyth toured the …

The Diagnostic Cytology team at Royal Devon have received a Royal College of Pathologists (RCPath) Achievement Award.

he team were recognised for their biomedical scientist-led Rapid On-Site Evaluation (ROSE) service to support upper Gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopic ultrasound, e…

If you’ve had an overnight NHS hospital stay in the last 6 months, and you’re 16 years or older, you could help us improve our services by taking part in a 90-minute informal patient group discussion to support the development of a new survey on the in-patient experience.

Discuss…

Our volunteers are amazing people. Each and every one of them provides invaluable help in supporting the work of the Trust and enriching the patient experience.

We are currently recruiting for 25 new volunteers in a number of roles across our services, and are accepting applicati…

Dementia is a complex condition, unique to every individual and their family. Admiral Nurses offer specialist advice and guidance to support those living with dementia and family and friends in their caring role.

Rachel Oakley, one of the Admiral Nurses working in the community c…

Record numbers of patients in Devon are now accessing healthcare services through the NHS App.

In January, the number of repeat prescriptions ordered through the app went above 100,000 for the first time. Orders for March and April also reached the milestone, with May achieving a…

Following the announcement of the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust being awarded a new integrated sexual health contract from Devon County Council and Torbay Council earlier this year, an exciting new community programme is being developed.

Devon Sexual Heal…

The NHS in the South West is working to increase uptake in the HPV vaccine and cervical screening in line with the national cervical cancer elimination strategy for England.

Each year around 2,700 people are diagnosed with cervical cancer in England, with proportionally more peop…

Carole Boulanger, Consultant Nurse and Advanced Critical Care Practitioner has been named an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the King’s Birthday Honours for services to Critical Care.

“It’s overwhelming and very humbling. I’m really honoured and…

We’re very proud of our Hepatology team that has recently received a prestigious improving quality in liver services (IQILS) accreditation from the Royal College of Physicians, one of only 18 trusts across the country to be fully accredited. The team was recognised for having a ‘…

Researchers at the Royal Devon are recruiting volunteers to take part in a new cardiology clinical research study. 

The EASi-HF Preserved Trial is looking at an investigational treatment option for people with chronic heart failure.

If you are 18 years of age or older, and a…

On Wednesday 28 May the Buttercup Outpatient Unit at Nightingale Hospital Exeter marked its first birthday with a special celebration for volunteers and staff.

The Buttercup Unit is the Devon Diagnostic Centre’s outpatient department which supports a new one stop clinic approach.

We have launched two innovative clinical research studies aiming to improve the experience of people living with multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a condition that affects the brain and spinal cord. While it cannot currently be cured, treatment can often help manage …

One Eastern Devon (OED), the place-based local care partnership serving over 400,000 people across Eastern Devon, is entering a new chapter in its leadership journey.

After two years of dedicated service, Councillor Ian Hall, county councillor and Royal Devon Governor is stepping…

Your child can be a hero – just by spitting in a tube. The information in their DNA has the potential to transform the lives of millions of young people through health research, creating better treatment and care.

Together with the NHS, the NIHR BioResource is building a movement…

You may be aware via media reports or your GP that some GP practices will no longer be providing secondary care-ordered blood tests from Tuesday 1 April 2025.

From Tuesday 1 April 2025 there will be community phlebotomy clinics provided by the Royal Devon in:

• Torrington
• Holswort…

This June, the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust invites school, college, and university students, career changers, and curious minds of all ages to uncover the fascinating world of genomics and pathology at a unique careers event.

The detective themed event,…

Following our Southern constituency by-election to the Council of Governors held this April, we’re delighted to welcome four new public governors.

Thank you to all the candidates who stood in the by-election, and welcome to our new governors Maureen, Jacqueline, Matthew and Eliza…

A fundraising campaign for a new state-of-the-art operating theatre at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (RD&E) has hit the half-a-million pounds mark.

The major milestone for the  Super Theatre Appeal  comes just six months after the  appeal w…

It’s hotter than normal for this time of year, so it’s important to stay hydrated.

Being dehydrated means the amount of water in your body is too low. Early signs can include:

• Feeling thirsty and tired
• Having dark yellow, strong-smelling pee
• Experiencing light-headedness or head…

Last month we were delighted to welcome students and staff from the Pilton Bluecoat C of E Junior School to NDDH.

Ms Lizzy Elsey, Consultant Colorectal Surgeon visited the school earlier this year and gave an interactive presentation about the Intuitive DaVinci Xi robot used for …

Visitors and local people are being encouraged to prepare well and make best use of health services over this May bank holiday weekend between 24 – 26 May 2025.

Patients can get treatment for common conditions directly from their local pharmacy, without the need for a GP appointm…

A special event at Taunton Racecourse earlier this month brought together healthcare professionals from across the South West to explore the role of genomics in cancer care.

The day focused on equipping the workforce with the knowledge and skills needed to make genomics part of r…

Our brand new, purpose-built £12.5m endoscopy unit in Tiverton opened this week and is now seeing its first patients.

The new Tiverton Endoscopy Diagnostic Unit triples the capacity in Tiverton for endoscopies and is a state-of-the-art facility with the latest equipment. Once it …

We are delighted to be celebrating International Clinical Trials Day on Tuesday 20 May.

Clinical Trials Day is celebrated globally in recognition of James Lind, a British Royal Navy surgeon, who began what is often considered the first randomised clinical trial in 1747. This tria…

The specialist dementia nursing charity Dementia UK and Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust have announced that the Woodbury, Exmouth and Budleigh Admiral Nurse service will reopen for referrals on Monday 19 May 2025.

The service will be jointly funded by the L…

As we start our new financial year, I have been reflecting on the progress we have made against our strategy and how this has enabled us to deliver more for our patients across 2024/25.

Our focus over the past twelve months has continued to be on our recovery for the future. We h…

An upgrade to MY CARE on Wednesday 14 May is bringing new features to patients who use the digital system.

There are a few changes patients will notice, including the ability to sign in securely, using passkeys. There are also some other small changes that are explained in more d…

Visitors and local people are being encouraged to make best use of health services over the May bank holiday weekend between 3 – 5 May 2025.

The message is that urgent and emergency health care will be there for you, but please choose the right service for your needs.

Dr Peter Co…

A leading diabetes researcher from the Royal Devon and the University of Exeter has been internationally recognised for his work improving care for people living with diabetes.

Andrew Hattersley CBE was awarded the 57th European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) Claude…

The West of England Eye Unit has marked 18 years of its pioneering nurse-led intravitreal injection service.

In 2008, it became the first eye unit in the UK to enable a wider range of colleagues to administer these injections. Under the supervision of Consultant Ophthalmologist M…

We have officially opened a new Changing Places Toilet facility in the main entrance at RD&E, along with another accessible toilet and a new breastfeeding facility.

The Trust had received concerns from service users about the lack of accessible facilities at the RD&E (Won…

Admin Professionals Day took place on Wednesday 23 April, an opportunity to celebrate and raise the profile of admin professionals across the NHS.

This month we sat down with Gemma Beer, Admin Service Manager in Trauma and Orthopaedics at Exeter Spinal Unit, to find out more abou…

The Royal Devon University NHS Foundation Trust, in partnership with the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration South West Peninsula (PenARC) and the University of Exeter, has launched cutting-edge research designed to make a big difference to stroke outcomes.

The research project u…

Past and current smokers in North Devon will be invited for lung cancer screening in a drive to improve earlier diagnosis and save more lives.

Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, the Peninsula Cancer Alliance, and InHealth are working together to deliver the L…

A new one-stop service introduced at the Nightingale Hospital Exeter is helping patients with suspected sarcoma get a diagnosis more quickly and with less visits to hospital.

Sarcoma is a rare type of malignant (cancerous) tumour that develops in bone and connective tissue and it…

The NHS in Devon is preparing for the start of the holiday season, as the first of many visitors start to arrive for the Easter weekend.

Visitors and local people are being encouraged to make best use of health services, especially as the Easter bank holiday weekend is a four-day…

The NIHR Patient Recruitment Centre: Exeter has changed its name to the Royal Devon Commercial Research Centre.

The centre will not be funded by the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) however, it will continue to build on the strong track record established by …

Our NHS staff and volunteers deliver extraordinary work every day. The Royal Devon’s Extraordinary People Awards recognise the hard work, dedication and amazing care given by both individual staff and teams.

We are asking patients and carers to nominate a staff member, team or vo…

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Dr Vanessa Purday as Chief Medical Officer for Service Strategy and Operations, joining the Trust on 1 September 2025.

Dr Purday is a practising Consultant Anaesthetist with a special interest in intensive care medicine and joins th…

The national COVID-19 spring booster programme will begin today, Tuesday 1 April

COVID-19 is more serious in older people and in people with certain underlying health conditions. For these reasons, those eligible are:

• People aged 75 years and over
• Those in care homes
• Those aged …

From 1 April 2025, the Royal Devon will provide specialist audiology services for patients in Eastern Devon aged 54 and under. This includes paediatrics, adults aged 18-54 years or with severe, profound or complex losses, patients fitted with bone anchored hearing aids (all ages)…

We offer Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) at North Devon District Hospital (NDDH) and Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (Wonford). People who come in with certain conditions can be assessed, diagnosed and treated without being admitted to a ward, and if clinically safe to do so, will…

From 1 April 2025, the cost of parking at our sites is increasing for those who pay. The income from parking goes to the Trust and helps support our services. Prices are reviewed and updated regularly to ensure we cover our costs. 

Free parking remains available for lots of peopl…

The Royal Devon are very proud to be part of the winning Community Flow partnership that received the ‘using our money well’ award at the South West Integrated Personalised Care Awards.

The awards recognise and highlight examples of best practice in delivering person-centred work…

The Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has celebrated the arrival of the 50th baby born through a cutting-edge genetic testing service.

Baby Annie’s mum was born with Ichthyosis with Confetti, an extremely rare genetic condition. Thanks to the pioneering servi…

We are delighted to welcome Professor Sallie Lamb to the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust as a nominated Non-Executive Director from the University of Exeter.

Professor Sallie Lamb is Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Health and Life S…

The Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust will be collaborating as part of a national network that aims to dramatically cut the NHS carbon footprint.

Led by the University of Exeter and funded by £6.5 million in government awards, the new UK-wide hub will be work…

Thousands of patients have told us that they love using MY CARE.

MY CARE is our patient app and online service that gives patients access to their Royal Devon medical information.

In a recent survey of 1,611 patients who use MY CARE, 90% of patients said that they were very satis…

Our Sexual Assault Referral Centre provides practical, medical and emotional support support to anyone who has experienced sexual assault or rape.

With the recent opening of our new centre in Exeter, this month we sat down with Lyndsay Howell, who is General Manager of Devon &…

Local people in Devon have one week left to share their experiences, views and ideas that will contribute to the development of the national 10-Year Health Plan whilst informing local priorities in Devon. There is a dedicated webpage (see below), which includes a link to the Devo…

UPDATE (18/06/25): Honiton’s minor injuries unit and X-ray services are returning to the hospital from Saturday 5 July, following the upcoming completion of improvement works. The temporary MIU service at Ottery St Mary will be closed from Friday 4 July, with musculoskeletal (MSK…

Patient engagement is vital to ensuring we deliver the right care to our patients. If you’ve experienced our health care services, either as a patient yourself or as a carer of someone else, you can share your feedback confidentially through Care Opinion (link below).

Devon Sexua…

YOUNG people in Devon are being urged to take up their HPV vaccine to guard against the virus that can lead to certain types of cancer.

HPV (human papillomavirus) is the name of a common group of viruses that are easy to catch through skin contact (usually when having sex).

All c…

A new area for children and young people needing urgent medical care has been opened at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (RD&E).

The new Children’s Emergency Department (ED) area and Paediatric Assessment Unit (PAU) delivers a separate waiting area and dedicated clinical s…

• A scheme to support three- to five-year-olds with cleaning their teeth, known as the Big Brush Club, has now been expanded to all nursery, pre-school and reception settings at primary schools in Devon
  
  
  
• Devon is the first area in the south west to expand supervised toothbrushing t…

The Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is leading ground-breaking clinical research that has the potential to transform treatments for neuropsychiatric disorders.

Delivered in collaboration with the University of Exeter and Devon Partnership NHS Trust, the stu…

Her Majesty The Queen officially opened the new Exeter Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) on Thursday 6 February with the unveiling of a plaque. The opening of the new facility also coincided with national Sexual Abuse and Sexual Violence Week.

SARCs support people who have be…

A patient at the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has become the first person in the South West to receive an artificial cornea transplant.

The procedure was completed at the West of England Eye Unit (WEEU), based at the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital (Wo…

A leading stroke specialist at the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has been honoured for his outstanding contribution to stroke research.

Professor Martin James received the Outstanding Achievement Award at the UK Stroke Forum in December 2024 for his work …

South Molton Eye Centre is a £1.4m facility developed at the former renal unit at South Molton Community Hospital. This was made possible with a generous donation of £500,000 from the South Molton Hospital League of Friends.

It provides diagnostic services and treatments for peop…

An ambitious programme to transform care for patients and staff across Devon’s acute hospitals and community sites is a step closer following the awarding of a new contract for an electronic patient record (EPR). 

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust (UHP) and Torbay and South…

A new service has been introduced at the Nightingale Hospital Exeter to get patients with suspected cancer a diagnosis and treatment more quickly.

The innovative nurse-led trans-nasal endoscopy service is run by Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and has incre…

Are you ready to take the next step in your career or explore an exciting new path? The Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust invites you to an inspiring Apprenticeship Careers Fair in Exeter on Tuesday 11 February, from 5:00pm to 7:30pm.

Whether you're just star…

The Royal Devon is proud to support innovation, working closely with our partners to increase opportunities for improving care through clinical research.

Now, two new research projects will help the NHS and councils in the South West improve how patients move through the health a…

Our volunteers are amazing people! Each and every one of them provides invaluable help in supporting the work of the Trust and enriching the experience of our patients.

This month we sat down with Catt Kinsey, who is Voluntary Services Manager at the Trust. Catt tells us more abo…

We are looking for four people to bring the voices of their communities to our Trust by nominating themselves to be a public governor.

Our Council of Governors includes people from across Devon who represent their local communities. We have a good number of governors representing…

The Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) service at Exmouth Community Hospital is set to open 7 days a week having recovered staffing levels.

Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust took over the service just under a year ago and have worked hard to recruit and train the staf…

Torbay Council and Devon County Council are pleased to announce that a new integrated sexual health contract has been awarded to the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.

This service will begin on 1 July 2025 and consist of:

• Sexual health promotion and prevent…

The Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is deeply disappointed following the outcome of New Hospital Programme review announced on Monday confirmed that North Devon District Hospital will now not see building work start until between 2035 and 2039.

Sam Higginso…

The Royal Devon is the first NHS Trust to integrate ground-breaking research into clinical practice, which could lead to thousands of people with cancer receiving an earlier diagnosis.

Led by scientists at the University of Exeter, the Help Flag clinical research study has identi…

People in Devon are being asked to help the county’s busy NHS by continuing to choose the right service for their needs and getting vaccinated against winter viruses.

A rise in cold weather illnesses, including flu, vomiting and diarrhoea bugs mean all of the county’s NHS service…

The NHS in Devon is reminding everyone of the simple steps they can take to protect their health this winter, including vaccinations, handwashing, and self-care to prevent winter illnesses and protect health.

Get vaccinated

Winter illnesses, including flu, COVID-19 and respirator…