Petition protesting the removal of services at a Welsh hospital gets over 11,000 signatures

Amelia Jones

A campaigners’ petition protesting the removal of emergency general surgery and other acute services from a Welsh hospital has received over 11,000 signatures.

The petition which says that the state of health care in Withybush Hospital’s is a threat to public safety, was set up by Crymych resident Ajay Owen.

The Senedd petition comes amid ongoing concerns over the future of healthcare services at Withybush Hospital and follows Hywel Dda University Health Board’s decision earlier this year to approve a new Clinical Services Plan for west Wales.

The plan sets out significant changes to the way some hospital services will be delivered across Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion. Health Board leaders say the changes are necessary to ensure services remain safe and sustainable in the face of increasing demand, workforce shortages and difficulties recruiting specialist staff.

Among the most controversial proposals are plans to centralise some services at other hospitals within the Health Board area, including emergency general surgery. The Health Board argues that concentrating specialist teams in fewer locations can improve patient outcomes and help maintain consistent levels of care.

However, the proposals have reignited longstanding concerns among Pembrokeshire residents about the future role of Withybush Hospital.

Campaigners argue that the county’s rural geography means patients already face lengthy journeys for treatment and that any further reduction in local services could place additional pressure on ambulance crews, families and frontline healthcare workers.

Healthcare provision at Withybush has been the subject of political debate for more than a decade, with previous controversies surrounding maternity services, paediatric care and the centralisation of specialist treatments elsewhere in west Wales.

The description of the petition online says: “We demand immediate government intervention to oversee the Health Board at Withybush Hospital and restore essential services to ensure the safety and wellbeing of Pembrokeshire residents. The residents, GP’s, Ambulance Services & Voluntary Sectors do not need the strain or anxiety the health board is causing locally.

“As members of a community safety organisation and residents of Pembrokeshire, we are formally declaring that the current state of healthcare at Withybush Hospital is a threat to public safety.

“For too long, our services have been centralised, downgraded, or left in a state of uncertainty. This is no longer just an administrative issue; it is a safety crisis. Every minute added to an ambulance journey and every service removed from our local hospital increases the risk to life.

“We are calling on the First Minister and the Welsh Government to Intervene Directly, Guarantee Core Services, Equalise Care Standards & bring services back to Pembrokeshire.

“The people of Pembrokeshire deserve a healthcare system that provides security, not anxiety. The Welsh Government needs to implement the changes necessary to restore a safe, functional, and reliable service at Withybush Hospital immediately.”

Public safety

Supporters of the latest petition say the issue has now become a matter of public safety. They are calling on the Welsh Government to intervene directly, restore essential services and provide greater oversight of Hywel Dda University Health Board.

The Health Board has maintained that its plans are designed to protect services for future generations and improve the resilience of healthcare across the region. Nevertheless, the growing number of signatures highlights the strength of local feeling and the continuing concern among many residents about access to healthcare in Pembrokeshire.

Y0u can sign the petition here.