Shake-up in Bridgend NHS boards
HEALTH services in Bridgend are to be transferred from one health board to another next year as part of an NHS shake-up.
From April 1, 2019, Cwm Taf University Health Board – which covers Rhondda Cynon Taff and Merthyr Tydfil – will take over responsibility for Bridgend from Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University (ABMU) Health Board.
It means the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend, as well as GP surgeries, clinics and dental practices, will all fall under Cwm Taf’s remit.
Bridgend County Borough Council – along with local authorities in the South Wales Valleys, the Vale of Glamorgan and Newport – are currently involved in the £1.2bn Cardiff City Deal which aims to bring £4bn of private sector funding to the area and create 25,000 new jobs.
By being a part of ABMU, which looks after patients in Swansea and Neath Port Talbot, it is thought Bridgend is currently working across two “strategic footprints”.
A statement from Health Secretary Vaughan Gething read: “The purpose of the proposed change, as outlined in the consultation, is to ensure Bridgend CBC is not disadvantaged working with multiplestrategic partners across two strategic footprints, to support the strengthening of regional partnership arrangements and facilitate more effective leadership and decision making.” The official boundary change will be made on April 1, 2019.
The transfer of NHS services from one health board to another sparked concerns among members of the public in Bridgend.
Some patients feared it would result in a loss of services and lead to them having to re-register with their GPs. But both health boards have given their “full assurance” that there are no planned ser- vice changes linked to the boundary shift.
It means GP surgeries, clinics, and dental services will remain exactly the same. The only thing that will definitely change is the heading on appointment letters.
A joint statement from ABMU and Cwm Taf read: “High quality, patientcentred care will of course continue to be our top priority and we will be working very closely together to ensure that continuity is maintained during the transition process and beyond.”
Since the three-month consultation began last December, health boards say they have spoken to staff, trade unions and key stakeholders about the transition.
All NHS employees working in Bridgend will effectively be switching employers, but it is understood none of their working conditions will be affected.
It is thought some managerial staff might be impacted as some services which currently reside in ABMU may already exist in Cwm Taf. Whether this leads to job losses or a reduction of certain roles remains to be seen.
The health boards added: “We realise that the transition will be an unsettling time for people affected by the changes, and therefore we will ensure that there is regular and transparent communication throughout the process.
“This is an exciting time for both organisations and we are determined to use the opportunity to build on the high quality services we provide to all our patients.”
As with any administrative changes, there will be some financial hit as as result.
But the Welsh Government could not put a figure on how much it would cost.
In the last financial year ABMU recorded a £36m financial deficit, while Cwm Taf managed a £3m surplus.
As ABMU will no longer be including Bridgend in its remit (Abertawe Bro Morgannwg would no longer include Morgannwg), then a name change at some point is likely.