Question time for health board tonight (From Western Telegraph)

Question time for health board tonight

12:24pm Thursday 20th September 2012 in News

Pembrokeshire's public get their first chance to quiz Hywel Dda Health Board on its planned changes to health care in the area tonight (Thursday).

A Question Time-style public meeting will be held at Sir Thomas Picton School, Haverfordwest at 7pm.

Hywel Dda said it will give people the opportunity to ask questions about the Your Health, Your Future proposals.

Those proposals include closing the Special Care Baby Unit at Withybush Hospital and the Minor Injury Units at Pembroke Dock and Tenby.

Chairman Chris Martin is urging people to get involved: “The views of local people, staff and stakeholders are really important to us and we recognise the enthusiasm and passion that has been shown for the NHS.”

Local campaign group Pembrokeshire Health Concern’s Peter Milewski said it was “deeply unimpressed by the lack of clarity”

in the documents along with “various ambiguous or downright misleading statements, failure to describe evidence for their proposals, failure to consider consequences, and of course failure above all to bring neighbouring Swansea into the equation for Carmarthenshire.”

Mr Milewski added: “Pembrokeshire Health Concern has sent them a document describing the adverse impacts there would be if their true intentions for Orthopaedics, Emergency and Unplanned Care were allowed to proceed. These would be no less than rendering the services in Withybush unsustainable – despite the Board having many times asserted their wish for sustainability.”

Thursday’s meeting will host a panel including senior representatives and healthcare professionals from the health board, and invited representatives from the community health council, political representatives and health interest groups.

There will be further opportunities during the consultation to talk with senior health board representatives and healthcare professionals on a one-to-one basis at drop in Meet the Health Board
events:
October 4th Guildhall, Cardigan, 2pm to 7.30pm.
October 17th Fishguard Town Hall, Fishguard, 2pm to 7.30pm.
October 24th Kilgetty Community Centre, Kilgetty, 2pm to 7.30pm.