ECHO: What is the future for DCH? Will these cuts work? DEREK SMITH: I think as long as we do this right then the hospital will have a long-term future providing local general hospital services to this part of the county.

The key as well is that we are not only providing services but the services continue to be regarded as being of high quality and that the people providing those services stay committed.

With the hospital struggling with £7.5million of debt is there a chance of closure? I don’t think there is any prospect of the hospital closing – it’s too important to provide services to people in this part of the world who can’t get access to hospital services elsewhere.

But I have to tell you it is a severe financial problem and unless something is done to deal with it, it will become an even more severe financial problem. We have to act now.

What impact will the cuts have on neighbouring hospitals? We will be starting very shortly a dialogue with other hospitals, about the impact upon them. Some of the things we do may affect them.

We need to make sure that the whole health community and stakeholders are aware of what is being done and be able to assess the effect on themselves and their service commitments.

The hospital has not always been very open about changes and what the situation is; is that something that might change? There’s no doubt that when we are having to do the extensive changes that we are here, unless we are very frank with people they won’t actually work with us to be able to do it.

As you know there’s always a belief that there is a hidden agenda. We need to persuade people that there isn’t and that they are getting the story and that it is as I am telling it and that the solutions lie where I and my team and the board are suggesting.

We certainly would like to hear opinions and views about what we can do.

We know there is a very considerable task ahead that is unavoidable and we have to get on with it.