Politicians condemn health board’s emergency surgery downgrade

Bruce Sinclair, Local Democracy Reporter

A health board’s decision to downgrade the emergency general surgery service at a west Wales hospital has been condemned by local politicians.

At a two-day meeting held on February 18 and 19, the health board backed changes which will see no emergency general surgery operations taking place at Pembrokeshire’s Withybush hospital, but a strengthening of the same-day emergency care (SDEC).

Last year, Hywel Dda University Health Board consulted with its communities on options for change in critical care, dermatology, emergency general surgery, endoscopy, ophthalmology, orthopaedics, stroke, radiology and urology.

It said its Clinical Services Plan focuses on the nine healthcare services that are “fragile and in need of change”, selected because they were at risk of being able to continue to offer safe, high-quality services, or care in a timely manner.

The proposed changes included an option for Withybush patients needing specialist critical care being transferred to Glangwili.

For the other three hospitals, Glangwili, Bronglais, and Prince Philip, there would be no change in emergency general surgery provision, other than a strengthening of SDEC at Glangwili.

Members stressed the changes would not happen overnight, with the board hearing from chief executive Phil Kloer the changes were about “improving the quality of service for the public.”

Reacting to the decision, local MP Henry Tufnell described it as “another blow for access to healthcare in Pembrokeshire,” adding:  As your MP, I will continue to do everything in my power to fight for improvements to our essential services. I’ll be urging the Health Board to revisit this awful decision on emergency services.”

Unanswered concerns

Sandra Jervis, Welsh Liberal Democrat Senedd Candidate for Ceredigion Penfro, said: “It remains a deep disappointment that Ysbyty Bronglais is being pushed towards a Treat and Transfer model, even with the prospect of a rehabilitation unit on site.

“Whilst locating the 24-hour stroke unit at Glangwili Hospital is clearly more sensible than Prince Philip, it still does nothing to address the needs of patients in the north of Ceredigion and the wider rural mid Wales catchment served by Bronglais.

“The unanswered transport concerns of so many residents remain exactly that, unanswered. Families are rightly worried about long journeys at the most frightening moments of their lives, and the Health Board has yet to provide clear guarantees on how safe and timely transfers will be delivered.

“To suggest there is ‘confusion’ about what Treat and Transfer means is patronising. People understand perfectly well that acute services are being centralised away from Aberystwyth. The real issue is whether rural communities are being short-changed.”

Disappointment 

Plaid Cymru candidate for the forthcoming Senedd elections Kerry Ferguson called on the Health Board to reconsider its decision.

“We are so disappointed with the Health Board’s decision to remove the current emergency general services from Withybush. Whilst the Board has committed to maintaining and strengthening Same Day Emergency Care, residents of west Pembrokeshire will still face at least an hour’s journey to receive emergency operations or significant treatment.

“Residents in Pembrokeshire are rightly worried and anxious about the services Withybush might lose, and losing their emergency general services is a huge blow.

“I call on the Health Board to urgently reconsider their decision, and to take into account the risks and impact that implementing option A will have on residents of Pembrokeshire.”

Local Conservative politicians have also reacted angrily to the Withybush decision, along with changes to the stroke service provision at Ceredigion’s Aberystwyth-based Bronglais hospital.

‘Salami slicing’

Local Welsh Conservative Senedd Member, Paul Davies MS said: “I’m appalled that Hywel Dda University Health Board has voted to remove general emergency surgery services from Withybush hospital – but I’m not surprised.

“The Health Board is obsessed with removing services from Pembrokeshire and has spent years downgrading and removing services from Withybush hospital. As one constituent has rightly said, the Board should be rebranded the Carmarthenshire Health Board, as it continues to strip assets from other hospitals in west Wales.

“Removing general emergency surgery services critically undermines the sustainability of Withybush hospital’s A and E department and will result in patients having to be transported for urgent treatment. This is not acceptable – I will be taking this to the Welsh Government and urging Ministers to intervene and stop the Health Board from making this catastrophic decision.”

Fellow Pembrokeshire Conservative Senedd Member Samuel Kurtz MS said: “Residents in Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion are being treated like second class citizens, as it is always us in the West that has to see our services cut.

“The salami slicing of services is exactly what the Labour government have wanted, and the health board are delivering. This is a sad day, and residents will rightly be angry and concerned.”

Downgrade

Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Peter Fox MS added: “This will be concerning news for patients and families in Ceredigion and across mid and West Wales.

“Downgrading emergency general surgery services in the area will mean longer journeys for urgent care, increasing pressure on patients, families and ambulance services.

“The Health Board must focus on investing in local infrastructure and ensuring safe, timely access to care, rather than centralising services and leaving communities facing longer travel times in critical situations.”