Health board to be grilled over planned changes to Welsh hospital

Hywel Dda Health Board executives will face questioning from Pembrokeshire councillors over changes to emergency general surgery at Withybush Hospital

Health Board representatives are set to face questioning from Pembrokeshire councillors next month regarding alterations to services at Withybush Hospital.

During a meeting of Pembrokeshire Council, an urgent motion tabled by the authority’s 11-member Conservative group called for the Welsh Government to immediately reverse the decision to end emergency general surgery at Withybush Hospital. Last year, Hywel Dda University Health Board carried out a public consultation on proposed changes across critical care, dermatology, emergency general surgery, endoscopy, ophthalmology, orthopaedics, stroke, radiology and urology services.

Following a two-day meeting earlier this year, the board approved modifications to emergency general surgery provision, meaning emergency surgery procedures will no longer be performed at Withybush, though same-day emergency care (SDEC) will be enhanced. Read the biggest stories in Wales first by signing up to our daily newsletter here.

During the March council meeting, the Conservative group, headed by Cllr Di Clements, put forward a motion stating: “This council requests that the Labour Welsh Government intervenes in Hywel Dda University Health Board’s recent decision to cease emergency general surgery at Withybush hospital and immediately reverses their decision.

“We believe removing this service critically undermines the sustainability of Withybush hospital’s A&E department.

“Also, the decision by the health board does not take into account the impact and potential serious risks it will have on Pembrokeshire residents.”

Councillor Clements’ supporting statement, which included a call for the-then Leader Jon Harvey to write to the First Minister and Welsh Government, said Pembrokeshire residents “have seen continual downgrading of services over the years, and this has been detrimental to all residents,” adding: “We believe this recent decision is life threatening to those who need emergency surgery and a matter of resident’s safety.”

During the meeting, councillor Michael John remarked that “there had been an erosion of services for many years,” backing Cllr Clements’ call, while proposing the addition of a request for the health board to meet with councillors.

In response to councillor Clements’ request, Leader Jon Harvey agreed to any letter writing, stating he had “fought long and hard to return services to Withybush”.

Members endorsed Cllr Clements’ motion, with Cllr John’s amendment incorporated. Subsequently, an update was presented at the 14 May meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council.

A report submitted to members stated that, following the March meeting, councillor Harvey wrote to the-then First Minister Eluned Morgan on 10 March, with Chief Executive Will Bramble also writing to the chief executive of Hywel Dda University Health Board advising him of council’s decision on the same date, requesting his and the Board chair’s attendance at the May council meeting.

Since then, Health Board Chair Dr Neil Wooding and Chief Executive Professor Phil Kloer have agreed to appear at an Extraordinary Meeting of the council on 15 June to brief the council on service changes and specifically the issue of emergency general surgery, with members having the opportunity to ask questions on the presentation.

Members agreed to note the report ahead of the special June meeting.

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