South Wales Evening Post - 15 June 2006
Swansea councillors have been urged to reject hospital closure plans by city health bosses. Plaid Cymru AM and city GP Dai Lloyd and Plaid's group leader on Swansea Council, Darren Price, have called on members of the cabinet to oppose the restructuring plans, which would see the closure of Fairwood Hospital and ward one at Hill House.
A report by social services director Jack Straw to the cabinet today, said there was insufficient detail in the proposals by Swansea Health Board and Swansea NHS Trust.
Mr Straw said there were resource issues which needed to be spelled out and "much work to be done to provide greater detail about the new, community based service model".
He said: "Until the developmental path is clearer and more detail is available, the local authority is not in a position to give a view about specific service closures."
But Mr Straw's report did not go far enough, according to the two Plaid politicians.
Dr Lloyd said: "I find it absolutely staggering that Swansea Council can even consider taking such an indifferent stance on such an important issue for local people.
"The proposed closure of Fairwood and ward one at Hill House will be catastrophic.
"We must remember that 90 per cent of patients are already treated in the community - either by GPs or nurses.
"With an ever-increasing elderly population we need more community provision, not less. We should be looking to develop more services in the community, and this means community hospitals as well."
Councillor Price said: "The health board and trust have been unable to provide any details of how any alternative care will be provided if the closure of these wards goes ahead.
"Without any plans it seems that the council's already over-stretched social services department will have to take on an even bigger workload.
"In light of this, the council needs to take a much more definite stance on the issue and clearly show that without the recognition of the pivotal role of social and community services, these plans are doomed to fail and will result in a reduced quality of service to patients.
"As well as Swansea's community hospitals' review, shake-up plans for the region's big acute hospitals are also out to public consultation.While consultation on the Mid and West Wales review officially ends on June 26, an extra month has been added on to take in last-minute comments.
The biggest row to emerge so far is the battle between Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire over which area should be home to the lion's share of hospital services.
Tomorrow, health correspondent Susan Bailey looks at how patients in West Wales could be hit - or benefit - from the proposed changes.
