Local Assembly Member Angela Burns has asked the Minister for Health and Social Services, Mark Drakeford for written confirmation that safety will be of paramount importance in the reconfiguration of hospital services at Hywel Dda.
"Leader of the house, may I ask for a written statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services? As I am sure that you will be aware, the chief executive of Hywel Dda Local Health Board has resigned. The chair of Hywel Dda health board also resigned some months ago. Both will be gone by the summer, and yet Hywel Dda is going through a period of immense and frenetic change. Services are being centralised and hospitals are being changed beyond recognition.
Some of these changes—not all—are very unpopular but have been poorly communicated. The Minister for health has promised safety nets and no changes until the alternatives are up and running. Glangwili has very high mortality rates, and this is at a time when we have absolutely no consistent and coherent leadership from the people who put the plans in place, the people who are going to deliver those outcomes."
Afterwards Mrs Burns said, "It's a time of huge change, the Minister is the person who appoints the Chair, the Board appoint the CEO. We need them to get on with finding the right people for the task ahead. It is absolutely imperative that Hywel Dda isn't left a rudderless ship at a time when health services in West Wales are going through stormy waters."