No decision taken yet on a&e – chief

DR NICK Lyons also spoke at a packed meeting of the Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board yesterday, writes Anthony Lewis.

It came as the board discussed an update on the South Wales Programme proposals which include proposals to downgrade the 24-hour A&E service at the Llantrisant hospital by either reducing the number of hours or turning it into a minor injuries unit.

He told a gathering of residents and local representatives at Rhondda Fach leisure centre, Tylorstown, that no decision had yet been taken and the board is “leaving absolutely no stone unturned” in ensuring the safety and sustainability of all its A&Es, but the Royal Glamorgan in particular.

He said: “We are revisiting the South Wales Programme recommendations to see whether they remain valid or not. It is not a done deal that the South Wales Programme will go ahead.”

He added: “The reality is with the current dependency on locum doctors the risk to safety is unacceptably high.”

Dr Lyons said there have been deaths at the hospital attributed by the coroner to the high dependency on agency staff.

He then confirmed that they are 17 consultants short of the expected level to run a safe A&E and 20 middle-grade doctors short.

In January the health board recruited two consultants but two are due to retire later this year.

Dr Lyons said they want to provide a “safe service provided as locally as possible”.

Dilys Jouvenat, a fellow member of the health board, said: “I wouldn’t be prepared to make any decisions without any impact assessments.”

She said she could understand why people don’t trust the health board because “people did exactly the same thing in 2014 but the decision was made to go ahead – they weren’t listened to before”.