Hospital petition receives 500 signatures on launch day

Bruce Sinclair, Local Democracy Reporter

A petition calling on councillors to help protect a hospital and restore services that have been lost or downgraded drew more than 500 signatures in its first day.

The Save Withybush Campaign Group lodged the petition with Pembrokeshire County Council on 9 November, urging councillors to take a public stand over the future of Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest.

The petition has passed the threshold for a debate by the full council. Under the council’s rules, petitions with 100 to 499 signatures are considered by an overview and scrutiny committee, while those with more than 500 go before all councillors.

Campaigners want the council to press for the restoration of services that have been lost or downgraded and the retention of all those still provided at the hospital. They also want councillors to challenge decisions they believe threaten access to local healthcare.

The petition says: “Withybush Hospital is a lifeline for Pembrokeshire. Our rural geography, long travel distances, limited public transport options and dependence on timely emergency treatment make accessible local healthcare essential, not optional.”

The group argues that decisions about staffing and capacity should take account of the number of people who visit or work in the county as well as those who live there. It says Pembrokeshire welcomes an estimated 6.3 million visitors a year and that seasonal tourism, refinery work and other industrial activity add to demand for health and emergency services.

“We expect our elected representatives to stand up for Pembrokeshire, challenge decisions where necessary and demand answers from those responsible for our health services,” the petition says.

The petition remains open on the council’s website until 9 January.