WELSH CONSERVATIVES DEBATE: HOSPITALS
Elected in May 2011, I stood here and witnessed the First Minister stand before us in this Chamber and say that ‘No-one is suggesting the downgrading of any district general hospitals’.
On 7 December 2011, the previous health Minister said:
‘there are no plans to downgrade any district general hospitals’.
Four years on, and we’ve seen the downgrading of paediatric services, the closure of neonatal units and the removal of consultant-led A&E departments. Instead of admitting to making false promises, the Welsh Government just simply passes the buck for these decisions to local health boards. Yet, it has been the shameful lack of investment in our much-loved NHS in Wales that has forced their hand, with devastating effects on the people across Wales. In north Wales in particular, 2013 saw the closing of community hospitals at Blaenau Ffestiniog, Flint, Llangollen and Prestatyn—a loss of 53 in-patient beds. Almost 100 per cent of the 3,500 people who voted called on Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health Board to reinstate those lost at Flint hospital—all completely ignored.
My response to that is: do you not feel ashamed for the fact that you didn’t make any representations about the maternity services? At Bryn Beryl Hospital, x-ray services removed and the minor injures unit closed at weekends throughout the winter. And the Uned Meirion elderly and mentally infirm unit has been closed at Dolgellau. In my own constituency, Llandudno hospital has lost its endoscopy, breast cancer surgery and A&E department, with a loss of 439 in-patient beds in the health board, all under your watch. But perhaps of most significance to my constituents in Aberconwy has been the recent shameful Welsh Government handling of maternity services and neonatal care.
My constituents were overjoyed when, in 2014, the Welsh Government—yes, the Welsh Government—announced that Ysbyty Glan Clwyd had been chosen ahead of Arrow Park Hospital, not without a battle on behalf of some AMs, for the new sub-regional neonatal intensive care centre. The decision was hailed by the health board’s chairman as the end to a period of uncertainty for our dedicated and committed staff as well as our local people. How wrong were they? We now know that not to be the case. BCULHB announced plans to suspend consultant-led maternity and gynaecological care at Glan Clwyd for 18 months due to what was described as ‘unacceptable clinical risks’; those same clinical risks that the Minister, the previous Minister, the First Minister, were all well aware of, and if they weren’t, they should have been. The equality impact assessment showed that around 324 babies per year, 4,000 women, and 150 members of staff would be affected. But it was no surprise to me that the people of north Wales stood up and came together to fight the proposals, with 15,000 signing the ‘Daily Post’ petition, 2,000 plus marching in protest, doctors passing a vote of no confidence in the board, and many actually directing it towards the Welsh Labour Government. And, of course, the north Wales community health council formally requested Welsh Government intervention.
Again, I ask the Minister: what have you done, really, about any of this? What was the Welsh Government’s response to this public outcry? Constituents of mine were momentarily relieved when the health Minister ordered an independent assessment, although I didn’t hold my breath. The discovery that this assessment was completed within one day and its description by the chief officer of the CHC as ‘not fit for purpose’ was shameful. All credit to campaigners such as Marsha Davies—they haven’t wallowed in defeat—and others going for judicial review. The staff of our NHS work tirelessly to provide the highest possible standard of care for our patients, but they, too, are now at breaking point. For those who work in Welsh A&E departments to have described it as being worse than a war zone is, again, a disgrace.
It may well be the case that as many as 43 per cent of people do not realise that the Welsh Government is ultimately responsible for our NHS, but, I can assure you, from the campaigning that I’ve done on the doorstep, the number of people who know the truth is growing by the day. Be under no illusion: you will be judged tomorrow, even though it is a general election. Tomorrow, voters will hold you to account for failing to protect hospitals from closure and downgrading and a failure of service, and it’s your fault.