And here is the very latest press release, issue today, concerning the John Parkes Unit. I have copied and pasted it from the Herald Express as sometimes lnks get outdated.

Disabled unit 'could be centre of excellence'
Thursday, September 17, 2009, 09:30
BAY health bosses have pledged commitment to the John Parkes Unit despite concerns about its future funding.

The Torbay Care Trust board heard the eight-bed respite centre at Torbay Hospital's annexe could become a 'centre of excellence', for Torbay's most disabled children.

But it will need to adapt to meet changing needs and provide better value for money.

The unit is currently used by 10 children in Torbay and nine from the Devon Primary Care Trust area.

But it could face a 50 per cent funding cut if the Devon trust decides not to continue using the unit in shake-up plans of its respite services.

Sharon Matson, director of commissioning, told yesterday's meeting: "We have no intention to close the unit and we want to work with parents and staff to look at how we can redesign it to make it into a centre of excellence for children in Torbay.

"Devon needs to go back and assess its children's needs and how it intends to commission for those needs.

"If Devon decided, and there has been no formal change in that status, that they do not want to buy services from John Parkes that leaves us with a financial loss of about 50 per cent."

But Strete parent Charlotte Stephens, 23, told the board she had already been told the unit had not bid for the Devon's renewed contract.

And her own respite care for three-year-old Bella will not be renewed 'because it is not on Devon's menu of respite care,' she told the meeting.

Chief executive Anthony Farnsworth agreed there were 'inconsistencies' in what has been said to parents.

But he reiterated his commitment for the parents of Torbay.

And even if Devon did pull out, the trust would tailor the unit to meet financial constraints.

Torbay parent Julia Melluish spoke on behalf of Bay parents concerned there were still plans to close the unit.

"Parents have been told by key workers they need to get on a waiting list for other respite services for when the unit closes," she said.

"I trust what you are saying here but there are different messages coming from other quarters.

"Why would social and key workers make it up?"

Mrs Matson said she did not know where those messages had originated.

"We are committed to make it financially viable and successful," she said.