Consider alternatives (From Western Telegraph)
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Consider alternatives
11:50am Wednesday 10th October 2012 in Letters
THE more recent talking I hear from Hywel Dda Health Board, the more concerned and frustrated I have become over the past six years; there is certainly too much talking and minimal listening while changes continue at Withybush.
And reading the comments from our local elected Assembly Members, MPs and other readers of the Western Telegraph, I know something is seriously wrong. How can the views of the thousands of Pembrokeshire citizens at dozens of meetings be so blatantly ignored by executives we employ in the health service?
Not only do they appear not to listen, but we are regularly dosed with placebo moonshine to keep us quiet. What kind of fools do they think we are?
Of course we want good, affordable health care, and we want it to grow better as frequently promised, but what we must have is health care in the right places to provide the highest level of care for all; taking all the factors into account, ignoring boundaries, parochial influences and recognition that rural areas need as good health care as our urban neighbours. We also want minimum management and administration costs – more on the frontline.
I ask your readers with access to the internet, to read the proposed plan for reconfiguration of the health services in Hywel Dda on the website link ‘Pembrokeshire Health Concern…proposed plan May 2012’.
I believe this comprehensive plan is vital reading and should be compulsive reading for all our elected representatives from Westminster down to community council level, but with special requirement by the elected representatives in power in Cardiff.
Undoubtedly changes are necessary in the health services in south west Wales, but let the word consultation really mean what it says, and let us see real consideration of alternatives to the disgraceful, downgrading of Withybush and elsewhere that will result in a massive fall in the quality and access to health service for many of our residents.
RON WEEDON by email
