A consultation on plans that would see both Withybush and Glangwili Hospitals downgraded ends tomorrow, Thursday, July 12.

The 12-week consultation on Hywel Dda Health Board’s proposals to radically overhaul how care is delivered across Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion has attracted criticism from healthcare campaigners who last week delivered a 40,000 signature petition opposing the proposas to the Senedd in Cardiff.

Plans to build a new major urgent and planned care hospital between Narberth and St Clears are at the heart of all three options under consultation.

In all three of the proposals, Bronglais District General Hospital will continue to provide services for mid Wales; a new major hospital will be built somewhere between Narberth and St Clears, and there will be ten community hubs across the Health Board area.

The proposals are:

Proposal A

• A new urgent care and planned care hospital between Narberth and St Clears

• Community hospitals in Glangwili, Prince Philip Hospital in Llanelli and Withybush

• A general hospital in Aberystwyth on the Bronglais Hospital site

Proposal B

• A new urgent care and planned care hospital between Narberth and St Clears

• Community hospitals in Glangwili and Withybush

• General hospitals at Prince Philip Hospital in Llanelli and Aberystwyth on the Bronglais Hospital site

Proposal C

• A new urgent care hospital between Narberth and St Clears

• A planned care hospital on Glangwili site

• A community hospital in Withybush

• General hospitals at Prince Philip Hospital in Llanelli and Aberystwyth on the Bronglais Hospital site

All three proposals see Withybush lose its paediatric ward and A&E services, which could be downgraded to a minor injuries unit.

What is still unclear is if other services such as audiology, child development or back room testing in the microbiology and biochemistry labs will remain.

Hywel Dda Health Board has said it will not close any A&E departments before a new hospital or other alternatives are in place.

The board says the consultation is a “once-in-a-lifetime chance to fundamentally change the way that we provide local healthcare services for the better”.

It proposes separating acute and community care, in a bid to keep people closer to home, and out of hospital wherever possible.

The options all see a move towards ‘community hubs’, that would bring together staff from health, social care, the voluntary sector and other agencies.

These hubs could include access to tests and scans, including x-rays, outpatient appointments and clinics, preventative care, and overnight stay for those who can’t be cared for at home, but don’t need to stay in hospital.

Hywel Dda’s executive medical director and director of clinical strategy, Dr Phil Kloer, added: “The challenges we face are really significant. People are living longer, some with long lasting health conditions, and we expect there to be many more older people who will need regular health care and social care.

“In our area some people live in towns and some in country areas, making it difficult for us to ensure that services are in the right place for people to access.

“Many people live a long way from services, so helping people to live at home while they have treatment can involve a lot of travel for health workers.

“We know that people want to be supported to manage their health in their own homes - about four out of every ten hospital beds are filled by people who could be treated at home.

“Added to this is the fact that we’re finding it hard to get enough permanent staff, especially specialist medical staff, to come and work for us, and we also need to make fuller use of new technology such as computers, phones, telehealth and telecare.

“This is why we have come up with three proposals that we think are safe, viable and offer an improvement on what we currently have.”

You have until tomorrow to have your say by either:

  • Completing the online questionnaire at: hywelddahb.wales.nhs/hddchange
  • E-mailing hyweldda.engagement@wales.nhs.uk
  • Telephoning 01554 899 056