Your Health, Your Future: Labour County Councillors’ response.

Yesterday, the Labour Party councillors on Carmarthenshire County Council, attended a Hywel Dda presentation to the Council about the “your health your future” consultation on proposed changes to the Health service in Carmarthenshire.

Labour Councillors were critical of the consultation process, and the effect on Prince Phillip and Mynydd Mawr Hospitals.

Lliedi County Councillor Jan Williams, Health and Social Services spokesperson for Labour said:

“We fully support Prince Phillip 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 1 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 know where the people in my ward go if the hospital is closed. 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 in October; the Labour group will be fully engaged and provide more detailed answers than the yes/no tick boxes provided in the health board questionnaire.