During the Welsh Government’s Business Statement on Tuesday, South Pembrokeshire Assembly Member Angela Burns called for the Minister for Health, Lesley Griffiths, to make clear the exact process of engagement Hywel Dda Health Board must undertake in consulting the general public over their plans for the future of health services in the region.
It is evident that requests for the Health Board to send representatives to public meetings to discuss the 5 year service delivery plan of Hywel Dda are not being responded to positively. Yet within the last week we have seen further bed losses at Withybush and still no clear definition of the exact services that should be provided. On one hand Hywel Dda say they are eager to engage with the public but the reality appears to be quite different.
Ms Burns commented, “Our hospitals are cherished by those who work in them and by those who use them. We know that there are changes coming but none of us know what those changes are going to be. I am very keen to make sure that there is a proper consultation with general members of the public, not just specific interest groups, when the proposals are announced.
I understand that is to be quite soon, I also understand that the consultation process would last 8 weeks and I was desperately worried that the consultation process might be “buried” during all the festivities of the Christmas and New Year season. This consultation process must be fair, must be inclusive and people must know it’s going on”.
