Angela Burns AM has received a large number of concerns from residents regarding this threat to our local services and as the elected Welsh Conservative Assembly Member for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire I would like to make my position very clear; I strongly oppose the removal of these vital services within our rural communities.
Since the matter came to light I have taken a number of actions to ensure that the views of residents across the county are considered and to fight for the retention of these services.
I have spoken with both the Community Health Council and Hywel Dda Health Board and arranged meetings with both for the coming weeks where I intend to get answer to questions, raise points of concern and ensure that a full assessment of what impact such closures would have has been or is undertaken. To leave the south of the County without this cover is in my view unacceptable and to assume people are able to travel to Withybush is unrealistic.
The Minor Injury Units are Nurse led environments, with on call General Practitioners assisting. Therefore, I am asking the Health Board to clarify why the removal of Consultants at Withybush should impact upon this service and why this was not highlighted within the Health Boards Horizon planning.
Additionally Hywel Dda Health Board has not issued its final consultation document regarding the reconfiguration of services and I question whether appropriate consultation has taken place.
Given that the Health Board apparently has a predicted overspend of some £30m; it would appear that these new proposals are to go some way bring that situation of finances into line. I am horrified that the Health Board is proposing to ‘temporarily’ withdraw a service which will hit the elderly, frail and most vulnerable people in our communities. We have seen a number of services ‘temporarily’ withdrawn and not returned.
Please be assured that I will not let this matter rest and I will be ensuring that the Health Board is challenged over this issue on behalf of the County.
