Plan to transfer health services to a different board
PROPOSALS are being discussed which could see Bridgend’s Princess of Wales Hospital and other health services transferred to a different health board.
The Welsh Government has confirmed the proposals – which would see the Bridgend local authority area taken out of the Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University (ABMU) Health Board area and put under the control of Cwm Taf – are ongoing.
A spokesman said a further announcement on a consultation will be made in due course.
South Wales West AM Suzy Davies has called it a “big decision” and said she will be submitting questions to Finance and Local Government Secretary Mark Drakeford this week.
Mr Drakeford proposed the change to the boundary of the Cwm Taf University Health Board.
Mrs Davies said: “This change would bring Princess of Wales Hospital into the same health board as the Royal Glamorgan Hospital at Llantrisant. But Maesteg Hospital would also be affected, as well as all the GP practices, clinics and dentists currently working in Bridgend.
“There are also implications for social care as, at the moment, Bridgend is part of the Western Bay consortium along with Neath Port Talbot and Swansea councils which organises social services. We need to know if that would also need to change. This is a big decision and I will be submitting questions to the minister this week.”
The seven integrated local health boards in Wales were created in October 2009 when the biggest NHS reforms in a generation saw the previous 22 local health boards and seven NHS trusts replaced. At the time the Welsh Government said change was needed to improve outcomes and because the old system was complex and bureaucratic.
ABMU Health Board was formed out of the old Bridgend, Neath and Swansea LHBs and the Abertawe Bro Morgannwg Trust.
In 2012 the local authorities of Bridgend, Neath Port Talbot and Swansea came together with partners in the third and independent sectors to form the Western Bay Health and Social Care Partnership to deliver integrated community services, children’s services, learning disability, mental health and safeguarding services.
It is unclear how this would be affected by the proposed health board boundary change.
In a statement, Councillor Rob Stewart, chairman of the partnership board, vice-chairman Professor Andrew Davies and Darren Mepham, chairman of the Western Bay leadership group, said they were committed to the progress already made around integrated health and social care.
“Several examples of positive joint working and improved outcomes for people living across the region can be referenced as a result of Western Bay regional working,” said the statement.
“We recognise that the announcement reflects a more logical direction of travel for Bridgend given city region boundaries and echoes other area of joint working for Bridgend County Borough Council which are established. We are uncertain of the timetable at the moment beyond formal consultation proposals being drawn up in the autumn and a further ministerial statement by Welsh Government in the autumn.
“In the meantime, conversations with Welsh Government officials have commenced and we are committed to maintaining the momentum established through the Western Bay programme and building on the good practise and positive relationships established to date.”
A Welsh Government spokesman said: “We are currently discussing proposals with our partners in the LHB areas and will make a further announcement on the consultation in due course.”