This is no “pie in the sky”
IT seems that councillor Phil Grice (Journal Letters, December 19) is misunderstanding or possibly overlooking the main thrust of issues that were included in my previous letter (December 12).
Actually I referred to the “possible lack of vision and foresight not merely by (possibly) Hywel Dda but also Welsh Government as the latter have the overall responsibility to protect ‘our’ Welsh NHS services”.
Moreover, this is a major issue and many local people are extremely concerned not only for the possible closure of the A&E at Glangwili as this is a massive issue and extremely worrying for many people locally and for the thousands of concerned from all around the region whose family and loved ones depend on – and will depend on for many years – what is,after all, “our” National Health Service.
Therefore, we should possibly ask ourselves why have we seemed to have yet again arrived at this juncture approximately 11 years later as this is such a huge issue that can possibly have a severe impact on many families and individuals who suffer serious illnesses.
My response to Mr Grice is that this is no “pie in the sky” as he will probably be very well aware that this is a serious issue – an issue that many people are extremely concerned about.
The lack of substantial funding, the lack of vision, what seems to have been the lack of leadership, forward planning etc while the Welsh Government together with all the Welsh local planning authorities have been in communication over many years along with stakeholders, landowners, developers and planning consultants who have been in regular discussions during “consultations”, although the elected ward councillors are guess what? - never invited!
Over the past 10 years or so in Carmarthenshire we have seen huge swathes of “greenfield” that have been approved for approximately 9,400 additional dwellings over the next decade or so that will lead to very substantial increases in the Carmarthenshire population (2.2 people on average for every household) which includes around 1,100 new dwellings.
The potential closure of our A&E at Glangwili and the downgrading of the hospital will possibly have more of an impact on people and NHS staff than those in their ivory towers may believe.
May I respectfully request that people view Carmarthenshire Council’s local development plan (LDP) by logging onto Planning@ carmarthenshire.gov.uk and then to the “revised local development plan” where the evidence is there for all to read under the heading of Future Populations and planned house numbers.
I am aware that there seems to be a shortage of land around Glangwili Hospital to expand capacity and major issues with car parking for both staff and patients. However, there is a substantial swathe of land on the County Showground just west of Llanllwch a few miles west of Carmarthen and is an ideal location with excellent transport connectivity in the centre of the county – not on the south coast of the county and out of touch with those who will have to travel many miles more in distance from the north of the county.
We will then probably be able to retain many staff who are located in and around Carmarthen and employed three miles away at Glangwili Hospital. If they are relocated to Llanelli or near to Narberth we may well lose those highly skilled professional surgical staff, nurses and consultants and many experienced personnel – while there is more than enough stress on NHS staff as it is.
We have witnessed a increase in the population yet we have also witnessed the lack of major investment and forward planning, vision and foresight, by government ministers and previous and possibly present senior Hywel Dda hierarchy when this ongoing major issue was previously discussed. Alan Speake
County Councillor for Carmarthen Town (West)