I HAVE just received my copy of the “Newsletter” from “Talking Health”, the “involvement and engagement scheme” from Hywel Dda Health Board, with its slogan “Speak. Listen. Act.”; in other words - we speak, they pretend to listen and they certainly know how to act!

I applied to receive this a few years ago under the mistaken and totally naive impression that I could possibly make a difference in the ongoing saga of threats and promises regarding the future of our health provision.

During the public consultations, I wrote copious amounts in support of Tenby MIU and all services at Withybush, as I’m sure many other people did.

Now that we have lost our MIU and still do not know what is going to happen at Withybush, I am told in my wonderful newsletter that I can now “Choose Well”.

So I can now rest assured that if, in the middle of the night, I happen to break my ankle or have a heart attack or a stroke, all will be solved by consulting my colourcoded fridge magnet (which I have been advised to display in a prominent position to consult in an emergency!); ringing my surgery, pharmacist or using the app (a bit difficult considering I haven’t got a Smartphone); or most important of all - going on my computer to “choose well”!

I am heartily sick of the utter nonsense and propaganda coming from Hywel Dda, spewed out to the public on a regular basis, on the pretext that everything is being done on our behalf, when we all know differently. The vast amount of money that was spent on the ridiculous consultation exercise would have been better spent on maintaining all the threatened services in Pembrokeshire.

If they had only been honest enough to tell us from the very beginning that a costcutting exercise was essential, instead of trying to convince us that they were going to ‘listen’, the outcome would have been easier to bear.

Having recently had a diagnosis of angina, I am currently lucky to have a husband who is willing to drive me wherever and whenever necessary in the event of an emergency.

For my own future and or those who, like me, can’t drive or have no one to drive them, things are grim and not made any easier by Hywel Dda’s attitude.

JENNIFER RICHARDS

Upper Hill Park

TENBY