News

As we come to the end of 2025, we have much to reflect on. It has been a year of significant change and challenge, as we’ve seen the publication of the NHS 10 Year Plan and we’ve continued to transform our services for our patients for the future in a challenging context. 

W…

South Molton Community Hospital is celebrating two major donations that are helping to enhance patient care on the Hugh Squier Ward.

The hospital’s League of Friends (LoF) has provided £120,000 to create four new wet rooms at the bedded ward.

It has also managed to secure £7,778 …

The NHS is facing exceptional challenges right across the country. The Royal Devon has seen significant increased demand for our services recently with a high number of respiratory infections, and cases of norovirus across the Trust. 

Colleagues are working hard to ensure pa…

On Wednesday 10 December, the NHS released the results of the 2025 CQC Maternity Survey. The Royal Devon performed well against the national average, and better than most Trusts in 14 of the survey questions.

Introduced in 2007, this national survey captures the feedback of those…

MY CARE users will see new features after an upgrade to the system on Wednesday 10 December. Following patient feedback the password requirements are changing, read more on that and the other changes below: 

Eight NHS partners have joined forces to make it easier and faster for people to take part in cutting-edge health research in the South West.

The first of its kind in the region, the South West Commercial Research Group (SWCRG) brings together expertise from across the NHS, inclu…

The United Nation's 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (25 November – 10 December 2025) is a campaign which also highlights the importance of sexual assault referral centres (SARCs). 

Sexual assault referral centres (SARCs) offer specialist care and suppo…

On Friday 21 November members of the Trust marked the official beginning of the demolition of Munro and Chichester House at North Devon District Hospital (NDDH). This milestone marks the next step on the path towards developing our clinical buildings as part of the Our Future Hos…

Royal Devon patients and staff are welcoming the new cutting-edge AI technology that helps clinicians to focus more time on seeing patients.  
 
Ambient Voice Technology (AVT) uses specialist speech-to-text AI to capture consultations and create accurate notes and clinic …

The Devon Diagnostic Centre is celebrating reaching a major milestone recently, with over 200,000 patients having now received a diagnostic test there.

The Devon Diagnostic Centre is a state-of-the-art community diagnostic centre (CDC), which is based at the Nightingale Hospital …

The NHS, in collaboration with the British Burn Association, is urging the public to avoid using steam inhalation as a remedy for coughs and colds, following a rise in burn injuries linked to the practice.

Each winter, NHS hospitals treat patients – especially young children – wh…

This month we sat down with our vaccination team, who gave us an update on this year’s flu campaign and showed us the other work they do, which often goes unseen. They are doing amazing work in partnership with local health and community organisations that goes far beyond just va…

We know that no-one wants to make a complaint about their care with us, but sometimes that's the right thing to do. When you share your feedback, we want to do right by you. Whatever the outcome, you should feel that we have listened, treated you with compassion and responded to …

If you can spare two hours per month to support your local NHS and patients in Devon, we’d love to hear from you. 

We are recruiting volunteers to join a Readers’ Panel to read and review patient information, such as leaflets and policies. The Readers’ Panel provides feedbac…

The British Medical Association (BMA) is taking strike action involving resident doctors at a number of NHS trusts, including the Royal Devon from 7am on Friday 14 November until 7am on Wednesday 19 November 2025.

The industrial action is a national dispute between the Government…

During November we will be conducting a survey to find out what adult inpatients thought about their care during their overnight stay at our hospitals.

This is part of a national programme to improve patients’ experiences while in hospital. Taking part in the survey is voluntary …

Cervical screening is a quick and important way to help prevent cervical cancer.

If you need a cervical screening (smear) test we run a weekly drop-in clinics every Tuesday at the RD&E hospital in Exeter and at North Devon District Hospital.

The RD&E hospital in Exet…

We are encouraging residents to take control of their own health this winter through the NHS App and MY CARE. 

The NHS App works alongside MY CARE, the Royal Devon online service and app that helps patients to manage their he…

This month we sat down with Steph Parker, Tobacco Treatment Team Leader at the Royal Devon.

What does the Tobacco Treatment team do and how do you support patients?

We provide specialist support and treatment to all patients and staff across Royal Devon who want to quit smoking.

…

People in Devon most at risk of becoming seriously unwell from flu this winter are being urged to get their flu vaccine as cases of flu start to rise.

The number of people receiving a flu vaccine across England has increased by over a quarter with the flu jab already administered…

The Royal Devon has received £22.7million from the New Hospital Programme to proceed with the redevelopment of staff residences at North Devon District Hospital (NDDH).

Chris Tidman, Royal Devon Deputy Chief Executive Officer: "This is an important step in the Our Future Hospital…

New governors elected to the Trust

Following our elections to the Council of Governors held this summer, we’re delighted to welcome a variety of new governors who have joined the Council to represent members’ interests.

Thank you to all of you who voted. The full report of voting…

A partnership that carries out vital health research across the South West Peninsula to directly benefit patients and NHS services has been awarded £15.5million by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

The Applied Research Collaboration South West Peninsula …

Following routine CQC inspections at the Nightingale Hospital Exeter in June, and Castle Place GP Practice in Tiverton in July 2025, both have received overall ratings of 'good' from the regulator. 

Castle Place received ratings of 'good' across all of the are…

The Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust held their Extraordinary People Awards ceremony on the evening of Friday 3 October 2025, to celebrate the incredible staff and volunteers who work across the Trust.

The awards are an important way to recognise the outstan…

The Royal Devon has been successful in securing a £20m commitment from NHS England to create a Centre of Excellence for day surgery for children and adults at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (Heavitree). Final funding will be received following business case approval by the T…

Interested in making a difference? Take part in health research!

At the Royal Devon, we are proud to run a huge range of cutting-edge studies and clinical trials. We have added a snapshot of what's available to our research pages.

Some studies focus on specific health conditions …

The Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is rolling out the national flu vaccination and COVID-19 booster programme from today, Wednesday 1 October.

The best time to get your vaccinations is well before winter illnesses peak, so we’re encouraging everyone to get…

Last Wednesday 24 September, we held a talk and Q&A on how we are using artificial intelligence (AI) to improve healthcare for patients at the Royal Devon and our formal Annual Members’ Meeting (AMM).

It was fantastic to see lots of members of the public, staff, and governors…

A research study led by the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Exeter is seeking volunteers to help speed up diagnosis and treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Backed by the ‘Know Your Sh*t’ campaign, the RAPID-IBD study is invi…

The Royal Devon were thrilled to welcome Councillor Neil Davey, Tiverton Mayor, and Rachel Gilmour, MP for Tiverton and Minehead to officially open their brand-new endoscopy unit last week with a ribbon cutting ceremony, alongside our Chair Shan Morgan and Chris Tidman, Deputy Ch…

Our next PLACE assessments are happening soon - have you got a few hours spare to help us make our hospitals a better place to be?

What is a PLACE assessment?

Patient-led assessments of the care environment (PLACE) put the patient voice at the heart of assessing and improving our…

On Tuesday 23 September 2025, Bideford Community Hospital reached a remarkable milestone – its centenary. The hospital was built in 1924, replacing the previous hospital on Meddon Street, and was officially opened on Wednesday 23 September 1925. The hospital has been extende…

Living with kidney disease can be painful.

A new study, MAPLE, is being undertaken to learn more about potential treatments for Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD).

If you have ADPKD and you are between the ages of 25 and 65, you may be able to take part in the s…

Are you curious about health research? Join us at the NIHR Exeter Clinical Research Facility (Exeter CRF) for an exciting open evening and discover the vital work happening behind the scenes in clinical research.

· Dive into fascinating themes like diabetes, brain health, lung he…

Memorial trees have been planted at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (RD&E) and North Devon District Hospital (NDDH) as a way to remember healthcare workers who have taken their own lives.

Statistics show that in the UK one doctor takes their own life every three weeks and…

We’re making an update on Wednesday 24 September that reduces the number of letters we send to patients.

The new features will mean that patients that use MY CARE (the patient app and online service that gives patients access to their Royal Devon medical information) will ge…

Following the award of a new sexual health services contract for Devon and Torbay earlier this year, the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust will take on responsibility for the provision of sexual health services through primary care from 1 October 2025.

Sue Sm…

The Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has been rated the top-performing trust in the South West for inpatient experience in the latest Care Quality Commission (CQC) Adult Inpatient Survey (2024), released Tuesday 9 September 2025.

The national survey asks pat…

On Tuesday 2 September we are running a training exercise outside the Emergency Department at North Devon District Hospital to test our emergency procedures.

We are acting out a situation where casualties may have been exposed to hazardous materials. You may notice people dressed…

North Devon District Hospital has become the first centre in the South West to introduce robotic technology for abdominal wall surgery, placing it among only a handful of hospitals nationwide offering the cutting-edge procedure.

Led by Professor David Sanders, the surgical team i…

The 2025 Winter/Autumn vaccination campaign is now underway with vaccinations for certain groups from 1 September. 

Today, the Royal Devon kicked off its vaccination programme with RSV, whooping cough and flu vaccinations for pregnant women across Royal Devon vaccination sit…

All are welcome to come along to our Annual Members’ Meeting. Learn about how we are using artificial intelligence (AI) to improve healthcare for patients, and hear about our overall achievements over the past year and plans for the future.

The event will be held at the RILD, Roy…

We know that things change over time and want to make sure that those members who we aren’t in contact with regularly by email are still interested in being a member. As a member, you receive updates from us, invites to events, vote for your representatives on the Council of Gove…

We were delighted to welcome Rachel Gilmour, MP for Tiverton and Minehead, to Tiverton and District Hospital on Tuesday 12 August.

Rachel met with Chief Executive Officer Sam Higginson, Chair Shan Morgan, and Clinical Lead for Planned Care in the Community Care Group, Dr Lucy Mil…

A Royal Devon initiative set up to reduce the post-COVID cataract backlog has been shortlisted in the Performance Recovery category at this year’s HSJ Awards.

Nightingale hospital developed the See-and-Treat Immediate Sequential Bilateral Cataract Surgery (S&T ISBCS) pathway …

We made significant progress last year in a challenging national context, and there is a lot we should all be proud of.

Every year, we take a look back at our performance and achievements and produce our formal annual report and accounts. Our annual report and accounts will be av…

We are excited to announce the finalists for this year’s Extraordinary People Staff Awards.

Our judging panels had their work cut out this year, considering more than 400 nominations, which is testament to how grateful people are for the hard work of our staff and volunteers and …

As the warmer weather brings more time outdoors, there is a surge in minor conditions that can be seen more quickly, safely and effectively by a pharmacy without the need for a GP appointment, freeing up GP appointments for patients who need them most.

Think pharmacy first and ma…

Please note: these features are now due to go-live in September, rather than 20 August as previously communicated. 

New features in MY CARE will make it easier for patients to manage their appointments and reduce the number of letters patients receive by post. 

This upg…

The NHS’s top midwife is urging eligible pregnant women from 28 weeks to speak to their maternity services provider about getting vaccinated against RSV ahead of winter. 
 
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of infant mortality around the world and a mai…

An innovative project developed in partnership with the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is transforming care for newborn babies, helping families go home sooner.

The NOAH (Neonatal Oral Antibiotics at Home) initiative has pioneered a new way to manage infec…

The following article is taken from our August stakeholder newsletter. To receive our newsletter straight to your inbox, sign up as a member.

On Thursday 3 July, the NHS and Department of Health and Social Care published their 10 Year Plan for the NHS. We’d like to say a big than…

We were delighted to welcome Steve Race, MP for Exeter, to the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (Wonford) on Thursday 24 July.

Steve met with Chief Executive Officer Sam Higginson, Chair Shan Morgan, and Chief Medical Officer Adrian Harris, who gave him an overview of our strength…

The Royal Devon is piloting AI technology to help with administrative tasks, so that clinicians can devote more time to their patients.

The Trust is working with TORTUS to provide secure Ambient Voice Technology (AVT) to support with notetaking and streamline clinical administrat…

The 2024 National Cancer Patient Survey results were released in July, with the Royal Devon scoring well against the national average.

The Trust had 1636 survey responses, an increase of 387 people compared to 2023, and was well above the national average for participation with a…

The British Medical Association (BMA) is taking strike action involving resident doctors at a number of NHS trusts, including the Royal Devon from 7am on Friday 25 July until 7am on Wednesday 30 July 2025.

The industrial action is a national dispute between the Government and Tra…

NHS Devon has explored the possibilities for extending the current weekend minor injury service at the Tyrrell Hospital, Ilfracombe further until September 2025 to cover the summer holiday period and can confirm that Alliance Pioneer Group will provide weekend cover after 31 July…

A pilot project supported by the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, designed to help GPs spot early warning signs of cancer from routine blood tests, has received £2.4million to roll out and test it is working.  

The NHS Cancer Programme, supported by or…

The first adult in the UK to trial a ground-breaking drug for type 1 diabetes has started treatment at the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, with support from the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) and the University of Exeter.

Devon-based…

We are looking for eight 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. As a governor, you can play a vital role in th…

Parents in Devon are being asked to make sure their children are vaccinated against measles as the disease spreads across the UK and Europe.

Measles is among the most contagious diseases in the world, but two doses of the MMR vaccine during childhood can offer lifelong protection…

Following an extensive refurbishment project and an upgrade to the latest radiology equipment, X-ray services are returning to Honiton Hospital on Monday 7 July, with the MIU (minor injuries unit) reopening on Saturday 5 July.

The Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation …

Two teams from the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (Royal Devon) were finalists at the prestigious HSJ Digital Awards for their innovative use of digital technology to improve patient care.    

The HSJ Digital awards celebrate the best d…