Welsh Lib Dems respond to HywelDda’s proposed major changes to our health service

We all rely on the health service at some stage during our lives. HywelDda Health Board’s proposed changes to our health service will have a major impact on our service and there is genuine public concern and strength of feeling over the proposals.

Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire Liberal Democrats set up a Working Group under Monica French to consider the proposals.Several members of the working group either work or have worked for the health service.  The group have met Dr Phil Kloer, HywelDda’s Medical Director to question him about the proposals, attended consultative meetings with the health board and met with local Liberal Democrat members to seek their views. The group have also involved Cllr William Powell, President of the Welsh Liberal Democrats and former Welsh Assembly Member for Mid and West Wales and Cllr BablinMolik, the Welsh Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson.

The Working Group have concluded that the present situation has severe clinical and financial risks and the Health Board should continue to develop Proposals A and B (which include a proposed new hospital between Narberth and St Clears) and continue to consult over them.However, the Working Group also considered there were major gaps in the proposals particularly how health and social care will be integrated, how the transport challenges will be addressed and how the proposals will be financed. A final decision cannot be made without addressing these gaps.

Monica French, Chair of the Working Group said:

“Given the financial and clinical risks doing nothing is not an option and the Health Board have acknowledged that. The patients served by HywelDda UHB need excellent health provision. I see these proposals as an opportunity for service change and improvement but I have some serious concerns around affordability and transport. I believe there is an urgent need for meaningful integration between health and social care if any significant benefits are to be realised.”

Andrew Lye, Chair of Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire Liberal Democrats Branch said:

“It was a Liberal, William Beveridge, who set out the principles for creating the NHS in the 1942 Beveridge Report which were then implemented by the post war Labour Government. The NHS has recently celebrated its 70^th birthday and we all want it to continue to be there for when we need it. I hope the Welsh Labour Government and the Health Board will respond positively to our concerns over integrating health and social care, providing an effective and costed transport plan and a detailed business plan indicating how their proposals will be funded.  We cannot afford to allow it to fail.”

Contact / Cyswllt: Monica French monicafrenchlibdem@gmail.com

Alistair Cameron 07901 564616 alistairc@traseweb.co.uk