Montgomeryshire Assembly Member, Russell George, told several hundred protestors who came to the National Assembly to campaign against the downgrading of Bronglais hospital, that they should be ‘immensely proud’ of what they are doing and not to ‘give up the fight’ to protect vital services for Mid Wales.
Mr George was one of a number of Mid Wales Assembly Members that addressed the large crowd that gathered on the steps of the Senedd building in Cardiff Bay to demonstrate about Hywel Dda Health Board’s proposed plans to centralise key acute health services away from Bronglais Hospital in Aberystwyth.
Mr George said:
“How can the Welsh Government talk about political scaremongering, when it is plainly obvious that the several hundred people that have come down from Mid Wales today represent views from right across the political spectrum.
“There is clear consensus here; consensus in their anger at the contempt that Hywel Dda Health Board has treated the public during this consultation process and consensus in their desire for the Health Minster to step-in and bring these disastrous proceedings to an end.
“All of you that have come down today to show the strength of feeling and the desire you have to protect vital health services in Mid Wales, should be immensely proud of what you have done.
“However, the fight must continue until Bronglais and the services there are properly protected.
“I think it is now crucial that the Minister shows that she is in charge of the NHS in Wales and that she delivers on the commitment that she has stated in this building behind me – no hospital downgrades and no centralisation of services.”
