Council moves to tackle problems at major hospital

A council has pledged to work with the new Welsh Government to tackle problems at a trouble-hit hospital.

A motion filed by Cardiff Council’s Liberal Democrat group received cross-party support in its call to put an end to the issues at the University Hospital of Wales (UHW).

It has previously been reported that the hospital’s building suffers from extensive issues such as, according to the original motion, “significant structural problems” and “a significant maintenance backlog”.

Other issues pointed out by the motion include “water leaks, sewage leaks, and problems with pigeon infestations, including reported incidents of pigeons even gaining access to clinical areas”.

During the debate Liberal Democrat group leader Rodney Berman said: “These problems aren’t just an inconvenience – they have an impact on patient care.”

Amendments from both the Conservative and Labour groups were added to the original motion.

The Conservative motion included a formal thank you to the staff currently working in the hospital as well as a call for the new Welsh Government to “launch an action plan within the first six months of the new term with time scales for action due to the pressing need for this work to be undertaken”.

The Labour amendment proved more controversial in the chamber with Cllr Berman calling it both a “wrecking amendment” and an “election pledge”.

The amendment, which was later added to the motion, resolved the council to “welcome the commitment from the First Minister to deliver a new UHW” and requested the cabinet work with the health board and Welsh Government to support the delivery of the project.

It removed part of the motion that read

: “This council therefore calls on the next Welsh Government to work with Cardiff and Vale University Health Board to agree and commit to a clear, funded plan to deliver a replacement UHW. “

Cllr Berman said this amendment “acknowledges the existence of an election pledge put forward by a party that may never implement it”, referencing Labour’s poor polling numbers for the upcoming Senedd election.

Cllr Jayne Cowan, who put forward the Conservative amendment, said it was “not acceptable that the major flagship hospital serving our wonderful capital city is in such a state”.

She added: “Staff should not be expected to continue working in conditions not sustainable in the long term.”

Council leader Huw Thomas said “the system has been starved of cash” in a reference to the austerity policies of later governments and praised the ambition of the current Labour-run Welsh Government.

Cllr Jackie Jones, who seconded the Labour amendment, told the chamber the staff working in UHW “deserve a better hospital”.