‘Don’t mess with local hospitals’ (From South Wales Guardian)

‘Don’t mess with local hospitals’

1:00pm Thursday 20th September 2012 in News

LABOUR Party councillors on Carmarthenshire county council attended a Hywel Dda presentation about the “Your Health, Your Future” consultation on proposed changes to the health service in Carmarthenshire.

They were critical of the consultation process and the effect on Prince Philip and Mynydd Mawr hospitals.

County councillor Jan Williams, health and social services spokesperson for Labour, said: “We fully support Prince Philip Hospital and the retention of a consultant-led A&E with an acute medical unit on site.

“Llanelli’s hospital has lost services over the last decade and we are determined to campaign for their return in the future.”

Cllr Bill Thomas, of Lliedi, echoed the concerns of other Labour members who thought the consultation questionnaire was too leading: “Some of the questions in the consultation document don’t offer a Llanelli option.

“You are asked whether you want an A&E within one hour’s travel, a ‘yes or no’ question.

Most Llanelli people will tick ‘yes’ and Hywel Dda will tell you that that means Glangwili is acceptable.”

Llannon councillor Kim Thomas used the opportunity to voice her opposition to the closure of Mynydd Mawr Hospital.

“I want to knowwhere the people in my ward go if the hospital is closed,” she said.

“I visited Mynydd Mawr last week and saw for myself that the beds are being used.

“Mynydd Mawr is vital to the people of the Gwendraeth Valley and provides respite care to those who do not have the family or friends to be recovering at home.

“I do not want ‘community care’ to mean people trying to cope alone at home with a carer visiting once or twice a day.”

The consultation process ends next month.