Llanelli Politicians to deliver letter to ORS as Concern over legal threat mounts

Nia Griffith MP and Keith Davies AM will be delivering a letter to the private research company, Opinion Research Service tomorrow (Tuesday 9th April 2013) requesting senior management to call off their threat of legal action against members of the Hywel Dda Community Health Council.

ORS sought legal advice and have since written to the Hywel Dda CHC asking them to retract elements of a referral document the CHC made to the then Minister for Health and Social Services, Lesley Griffiths.

The referral was made following a break-down in local discussions between the CHC and the Local Health Board who have recently concluded a consultation process on proposals to change the way some specialist and emergency services are are delivered at several hospital sites in west Wales.

The Minister for Health has asked the CHC and LHB to enter into a further period of negotiations to try to strike a local deal. Nia Griffith MP and Keith Davies AM believe that the CHC has an important role to play in representing the views of patients across our local area.

The Llanelli politicians now feel that the threat of legal action against the two volunteer members of the Council, Chair Tony Wales and Vice-Chair Dr Gabrielle Heathcote, has the potential to undermine those discussions.

Keith Davies AM said:

“I met with the newly appointed Minister for Health, Mark Drakeford, last week and raised the issue of legal action against the CHC as well as underlining my commitment to pushing for solution that maintains the level 2 Accident & Emergency department that we have now at Prince Philip Hospital. I took the opportunity to highlight the pressures being placed upon adjoining services at Morriston and Glangwili and the need for the presence of a doctor-led service in Llanelli to remain.

“I understand that the CHC continues to have concerns over the LHBs plans for emergency care at Prince Philip Hospital. I share those concerns.

“The CHC needs to have the confidence to continue negotiations without the threat of legal action. I believe it has the potential to seriously undermine those discussions and with the final deadline looming those talks will be entering a critical stage.”

Nia Griffith MP said:

“The threat of legal action by ORS is a complete distraction from the very serious work that the Community Health Council is doing in scrutinising the Hywel Dda Health Board’s plans. I know that people in Llanelli would far rather see the CHC speaking up about A&E services at Prince Philip Hospital than having to respond to the threat of legal action.”