Hyde House in Barnstaple helps and rehabilitates people who are dealing with mental illnesses.

The proposal by the Devon Partnership NHS Trust, which provides mental health services around the county, is to help introduce more care in the community.

But some carers say Hyde House provides an important service, and they fear a changeover to a new system could pose problems in the interim period.

The trust, which provides services across the county apart from in Plymouth, is looking at determining a new strategy for how it delivers those services.

A big part of the strategy is to move away from an institutionalised bed-based service to one that is more community-based.

As part of that, health authorities are starting a consultation process on closing Hyde House.