The Member of the Welsh Parliament for Aberconwy – Janet Finch-Saunders MS – has undertaken a site meeting with the Chief Executive of the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, Jo Whitehead, at the Llandudno General Hospital further to her request to review how best to “maintain and restore” the services offered.
The visit followed the positive news that Llandudno Hospital has adopted a winter initiative to help ease bed pressures at other sites. The development comes after a chain of interventions by Janet which has included:
- Leading calls to re-open the Ambulatory Care Unit (ACU) after she discovered that no patients have been seen there in 2021;
- Writing to the Senedd’s Chair of Health and Social Care Committee asking that the Committee consider the possibility that the serious problems caused by delayed hospital discharge at the three district general hospitals in North Wales be at least partially alleviated through having a policy in place which requires those patients who are medically fit for discharge to be transferred to the hospitals such as Llandudno;
- Writing an article in the North Wales Weekly News last week highlighting that our smaller hospitals could be better used.
Further to submitting a request for a meeting of the Llandudno Hospital Action Group (LHAG) to discuss the need for a longer-term positive forward course, a virtual discussion has been organised for early January 2022.
Commenting on the discussion with the Chief Executive, Janet said:
“Having set about a chain of interventions to acknowledge and combat the local belief that the excellent healthcare facilities at Llandudno Hospital are being firmly underutilised, I was pleased to meet with Jo Whitehead at this site to make clear my belief that this centrally situated establishment can help to relieve the strain on other sites in the region.
“My hope is that the recent creation of a transition ward here in Llandudno will now form part of a broader reversal trend against the centralising services in the three district general hospitals.
“Importantly, Llandudno Hospital continues to host the only bone centre in North Wales and there are no plans to move or reduce this service. I now wish to see the Health Board build on this commitment by reviewing the list of responsibilities for the Minor Injury Unit to determine whether it can offer greater assistance and around the clock care.
“With Llandudno MIU already performing excellently, the Hospital has great potential. I look forward to meeting with the Llandudno Hospital Action Group in January so that a positive plan of action can be formed to ensure that more patients receive local and timely care.”
Among the facilities at Llandudno General Hospital are a Bone Density Unit, an Osteoporosis Unit and Rheumatology Unit. The Minor Injury Unit can also assist with sprains; cuts and grazes; scalds; something in an individual’s eye; insect bites and stings; and minor head injuries. However, the Unit is only open from 8.00 am to 8.00 pm, daily.
ENDS
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