SWAT take protest and petition to the Senedd (From Western Telegraph)

SWAT take protest and petition to the Senedd

12:11pm Thursday 25th October 2012 in News

More than 100 people attended the SWAT demonstration outside the Senedd in Cardiff yesterday (Wednesday), where a petition with nearly 14,000 signatures was handed to local AM Paul Davies.

Demonstrators were protesting against the proposed changes to health care provision in Pembrokeshire.

Almost 10,000 signatures on a petition to save the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) and another petition with 4,000 signatures to save other core services at Withybush Hospital were handed to Mr Davies.

Mr Davies said: "The message is loud and clear here today. The people of Pembrokeshire will not tolerate the downgrading of services in Pembrokeshire."

SWAT chairman and consultant obstetrician Chris Overton said: "We are trying. I do not think the health board are listening, unfortunately. They appear to still be following the leaked document from 2010.

"We are having a consultation, but it's not a real consultation - it's a consultation in name only. The decision has been made already."

Protestors held banners, chanted and sang to get their message across during the hour long protest.

Protestor Patsie Goodman from Hook said: "I just feel we are going to lose necessary services and I feel it's all been planned beforehand and although we are putting up a fight the decision has already been made.

"I just feel that we have to be there to show support to keep these necessary services."

Carmarthenshire West and South Pembrokeshire AM Angela Burns delivered a speech thanking protestors to claps of support from the crowd.

Mrs Burns said: "Well done and thank you all for caring enough about your local community that you travel up to Cardiff to remind politicians that it's local communities that matter to people and what we want are services near to us that are safe, fair and accessible."