Welsh Conservatives will tomorrow call on the Welsh Government to confirm that all accident and emergency departments will be adequately resourced and none downgraded or closed during the remainder of the fourth Assembly.
In an opposition debate, the group will highlight the recent ‘temporary’ closure of many minor injury units around Wales, along with proposals to change the emergency department structure within Hywel Dda local health board.
This is the first LHB to set out options for change in emergency care and each would result in the downgrading of the current A and E unit at Prince Phillip Hospital in Llanelli.
The government’s own figures show that 86 million pounds will be cut from the NHS in Wales during 2012/13 as a result of Labour’s budget deal and its decision not to protect health in line with inflation.
The government’s target of treating 95 per cent of accident and emergency patients within four hours was last met in August 2009 (94.5 per cent).
Shadow Minister for Health, Darren Millar AM, said:
“In this debate the health minister will have an opportunity to put minds at rest across Wales and confirm that no accident and emergency unit will be closed or downgraded. If she cannot do that, it will amount to a significant failure on her part and a very sad indictment of the position Labour has put our health service in.
“While we all wish to see high quality services across Wales, these must be easily accessible and not put health or safety at risk.
“Any closures or downgrading will increase pressure on over-stretched facilities that are already missing the government’s own waiting time targets. Not only will major changes make this worse, patients will also face longer travel times to access treatment.
“This will hit the most vulnerable in our communities the hardest and place further burdens on our ambulance service.
“The temporary closures we have recently seen must not be a precursor to permanent closure or downgrading in the long-term and I expect a guarantee from the minister that this is not the case.
“Welsh Conservatives continue to urge the minister to reverse her cuts to our health service and take full responsibility for any changes that have an adverse impact upon our accident and emergency departments.”
