Ward closure sparks healthcare fears (From Western Telegraph)

Ward closure sparks healthcare fears

The closure of Ward 2 at Withybush Hospital has prompted fears that care for women with gynaecological problems could deteriorate.

It has also led to concerns about the future provision within Pembrokeshire of all surgical specialities and maternity and paediatric services.

The Western Telegraph put the following points to the Pembrokeshire and Derwen NHS Trust.

Q: Will there no longer be a ward specifically for gynaecology patients with their unique problems?

A: In future, all gynae patients will be cared for on a dedicated female surgical ward.

Q: Is it true that Withybush has lost 23 beds permanently, which will affect all specialities in the hospital.

A: As a result of a number of ward changes there has been a net increase of 13 beds at Withybush Hospital in comparison to bed numbers during the past 12 months.

These ward changes include the opening of 30 additional medical beds.

In addition to this increase in bed numbers, the Trust has also made investment in a new day surgical unit, two additional HDU beds and plans to extend the provision of endoscopy services in 2005.

These changes to the way in which services are delivered will mean that more patients will receive surgical treatment and in more suitable environments.

Q: While there is a need for a new endoscopy suite, could the National Assembly not have provided enough money to build a full-sized one instead of squeezing it into ward 2?

A: The space requirements for a new endoscopy unit will be more than adequately accommodated within ward 2 without compromising on space or functionality.

It was on this basis that the funding was requested by the Trust and agreed by the Welsh Assembly Government.

Q: Will care for women with gynaecological problems deteriorate?

A: All services provided on ward 2 will be re-provided in other parts of the hospital in dedicated facilities for women.

There will be no reduction in the amount or quality of services provided to women with gynaecological problems. The gynaecology waiting lists are some of the shortest waiting lists at the hospital.

Q: It is feared that the care suite is being fragmented. Will this result in women who may miscarry or who are unable to cope with a pregnancy having to pass through the antenatal clinic area to attend appointments?

A: The services provided on ward 2 will all be re-provided in, what the Trust believes to be, more appropriate settings.

As mentioned earlier, the in-patient services will be re-provided in a dedicated female surgical ward.

The out-patient services will be provided in a more appropriate out-patient setting which is adjacent to the antenatal clinic area.

This area will be configured in such a way that women who may be in danger of losing a pregnancy will not have to mix with women who are pregnant.

Q: Will in-patients be cared for in mixed speciality wards including orthopaedics and general surgery?

A: Gynae in-patients, who are relatively few in number, as more services are provided through the day surgery unit and out-patients, will be cared for in a female surgical ward by appropriately trained staff.

Q: Concerns have been raised about the provision of all surgical specialities and maternity and paediatrics.

Will they continue in Pembrokeshire if the movement of obstetric services to Carmarthen or Swansea takes place? Could this result in dead babies and mothers?

It is also suggested that it could lead to the loss of the special care baby unit, and ultimately paediatrics, at Withybush. Is this true?

A: The re-provision of services from ward 2 is entirely an internal Trust matter the focus of which is to modernise existing buildings to enable to Trust to deliver enhanced services to patients.

It is already clearly in the public domain that the way in which health services across Wales are provided needs to be examined following the Review of Health and Social Care in Wales by Derek Wanless.

The work associated with the implementation of the Wanless Review is, however, at an early stage and is entirely unrelated to the ward changes at Withybush.

Q: It is alleged that ward areas are being closed to reduce nursing costs at the expense of patient care. What are your comments?

A: Withybush Hospital is over 25 years old. Since the hospital was built there have been significant advances in technology and increases public expectation.

These have implications for the way in which healthcare is delivered locally. The purpose of the ward changes at Withybush Hospital is to modernise the delivery of local health services.

Contrary to the allegation of reducing nursing costs, the savings that the Trust is able to make through the ward changes will be used to increase nurse staffing across many wards and departments.