Rowan Ward at Ottery St Mary Hospital is inefficient, according to health managers, who want to divert money to care in the community.

Managers say there is a national shortage of suitably qualified staff and they want to give more people more support at home.

The ward offers places for elderly mental health patients when there are not any places available in suitable private nursing homes.

If they want to have registered mental health nurses, they have got to have a better profile. We've got to be valued

Mary Bavidge, Care Home owner

Patients and their families say they rely on the ward, but managers say the money could be better used by caring for people within the community.

Clare Steel, the director of modernisation at Ottery St Mary, said: "At the moment, the money, £2m, and staff that we have are all just focussed around those patients that actually use the unit, that actually use the hospital beds."

But private nursing homes nearby have also expressed concerns about the proposals.

Mary Bavidge of the Angela Court Residential Home, said: "They feel they haven't got enough registered mental health nurses to run Rowan. I think they they're not going to get the people for the community.

"I've spoken to people who work at the hospital and they have said that they're not keen on going into the community, or anywhere else for that matter.

"If they want to have registered mental health nurses, they have got to have a better profile. We've got to be valued."