Health shake-up ‘shambles’ as just 10,000 forms for 400,000 people
JUST 10,000 forms have been produced for nearly 400,000 residents to have their say on a massive shake-up of health services in west Wales, campaigners have claimed.
Members of a group campaigning to maintain services at Prince Philip Hospital in Llanelli claimed the forms had run out after just one week.
A spokesman for Hywel Dda University Health Board said anyone who wanted a questionnaire could have one, but they were being ‘prudent’ with public spending in how many forms they had produced.
But Sosppan (Save Our Services at Prince Philip Hospital Action Network) has demanded that the consultation period is extended so more forms can be sourced.
Three options are being considered for the future of west Wales health services.
Prince Phillip Hospital could become either a Community Hospital in option A, or a General Hospital in options B and C.
Llanelli’s Deputy Mayor Suzy Curry said of the consultation: “It has been totally shambolic. I am disgusted with the way it has been handled. They only ordered 10,000 consultation forms for the whole of the Hywel Dda health board area, which has nearly 400,000 residents.
“They used up the first 10,000 almost straight away. They arrived a week after the consultation started.
“I managed to get 400 and then managed to get 1,000 over a period of a week. Then they told me they were on the verge of running out and were going to order more.”
She said she needed 1,000 more to distribute among people in Llanelli for the following week.
Former town mayor and chairman of Sosppan Louvain Roberts said: “If they can’t manage a consultation how can they manage the health of the people of the area. I’m forced to ask, is the consultation rigged.”
And Sosppan spokesman Shaun Greaney said: “It seems as if Hywel Dda are not serious about listening to the people and don’t want to engage in a conversation. It is ridiculous when they are deciding on the future of healthcare in the Llanelli area for decades to come that they are not giving people a chance to have their say.
“They should be ashamed of themselves. They must now extend the consultation period in the interests of fairness to the people.”
Mr Greaney also appealed to residents to attend a public meeting at the Selwyn Samuel Centre, Llanelli, today at 3.30pm.
“The meeting is a chance for people to make their views known,” he said.
“I’ve been told Hywel Dda are sending representatives and people may be able to ask them questions.”
Director of partnerships and corporate services at Hywel Dda Sarah Jennings said: “We want to hear from as many people as possible and we are following our duties and guidance on consultation. I want to stress that any individual who wants a questionnaire will be provided with one. You can fill in a questionnaire online, come to an event or contact us directly to request a copy. We are also currently delivering batches to GPs, local hospitals and local authority locations.
“Campaign groups and political parties will be provided with documents in batches of a few hundred at a time with stocks replenished as needed. This is to be prudent in the spending of public money and to be fair in providing equal access across our entire population.”
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