Thank you

Dear All,

Today was the final day of the consultation phase, I would personally like to thank each and everyone of you for your support in highlighting the importance of retaining full acute services in Bridgend.

It is my firm belief that the evidence submitted by Prof Longley is both selective and flawed, the Welsh Assembly Government have a responsibility to protect their people, in removing essential services from the most populated areas of South Wales it is nothing less than a complete disregard for public health and safety.

The NHS Board have been explicit in blaming recruitment problems as one of the key drivers of this reorganisation of services, if this is truly the case they, the health boards, should be made to prove they have done everything within their power to continuously recruit looking to the European community to fulfil vacancies and shortfalls, freedom of information requests obtained during this process revealed that this is simply not the case and adequate and continuous recruitment schemes have simply not taken place.

I started off this campaign by saying it is morally irresponsible to pit community against community for essential life saving services, and whilst we have campaigned for the retention of services in Bridgend it is my firm belief that services should not be removed from the Rhondda or Merthyr either, like us, these are massive growing communities with poor transportation links and legacy of chronic respiratory disease. Removal of these services is both irresponsible and incomprehensible. 

I am utterly disgusted by comments made by Leighton

Andrews arguing for the removal of services from Bridgend and am very proud that none of our politicians have stooped so low as to argue for the removal of services from any neighbouring community - the whole process is entirely flawed and for an experience politician to take the not in my backyard approach is absolutely absurd.

We can only hope that we have done enough to prove the need for the retention of our services in Bridgend, and I hope sincerely that the process is looked at and our neighbours our spared this ridiculous fate as well.

Kindest regards

Ian Spiller

Save Our Services -

Stop The Downgrade 

www.facebook.com/Cllr.ian.spiller

Today's the day!

This afternoon at 1pm protesters will be meeting at Newbridge Fields, Bridgend petitioning for the retention of acute services under threat due to the South Wales Plan. 

Join us from 1pm marching through Bridgend town centre and along Coity road to the Princess of Wales Hospital.

Save Our Services - Stop The Downgrade!

Watchdog orders the release of NHS reform documents

The information commissioner said there was a strong public interest in releasing the material

Draft versions of a controversial report on Welsh NHS reform are to be released after an order from the information commissioner.

Case for Change by Prof Marcus Longley was billed as an independent review into hospital reform.

But emails released later showed him asking civil servants for "killer facts" to support the case for change sparking a row about its impartiality.

Report drafts and internal government correspondence must now be made public.

The Case for Change report was published in May 2012 after health economist Prof Longley was commissioned to examine the evidence and write a report to explain the case for reforming hospital services.

In it he warned that some services were in danger of "collapse".

Ministers had hailed the report, commissioned by the NHS Confederation, as evidence to support the case for potentially controversial changes to hospitals.

But a furious political row followed after a trail of emails emerged in which Prof Longley had contacted senior Welsh government officials and expressed concern the "evidence as presented does not seem to be as incisive as we might have hoped".

He had asked for "killer facts" to support the case for changes in the health service and further evidence "to sharpen up the document and its impact in supporting the case for change".

A political storm over the report culminated in the then Health Minister Lesley Griffiths narrowly surviving a vote of no confidence in the assembly.

Ms Griffiths said she did not see the report until it was in its final form and insisted her officials did not influence it.

Prof Longley later defended his independence, denying his findings were "sexed up" and rejected allegations that he "colluded or connived" with civil servants.

FOI appeal

Following the row, Plaid Cymru submitted a Freedom of Information (FOI) to the Welsh government asking for draft versions of Case for Change and any correspondence between Ms Griffiths, civil servants and special advisers.

But the request was rejected prompting the party to appeal to the information commissioner Christopher Graham in October.

During his inquiry the Welsh government had argued to him that the previous disclosure of emails had prompted much media interest and "necessitated the minister being required to provide an oral statement to the Welsh assembly and for her and other officials to be questioned by the National Assembly for Wales health and social care committee".

The government said there had been a "diversion" of resources to brief the media and for "managing the media attention".

It warned further disclosures "would be likely to renew the media interest and cause officials to be redeployed to manage effects of disclosure".

It also said releasing the documents would "have an impact on policy making" and said it was "essential for officials and ministers to have a safe space to discuss live issues without being hindered by external comment and/or media involvement".

Disclosure

But in his ruling Mr Graham said he considered there to be a "strong public interest in revealing draft positions so that the public is given a fully informed picture of the decision or policy-making process promoting transparency and accountability in relation to the activities of public authorities".

"Disclosure would be likely to increase public confidence in the process and would show the range of options considered during the process."

He ruled that report drafts and internal government correspondence must now be made public saying there was a "particularly strong public interest" in releasing the information.

It is expected to be released within 35 days.

Plaid Cymru health spokeswoman Elin Jones said the decision was a "victory for openness and transparency" and called on Welsh ministers to release the information immediately.

'Kicking and screaming'

"The health service in Wales is undergoing enormous change and the public has a right to see the trail of evidence which led to the final report by Professor Longley."

Shadow Health Minister Darren Millar said the ruling "drags the Welsh government kicking and screaming towards greater transparency".

"Welsh Conservatives have long called for the draft versions of this report to be published to provide clarity over concerns that the Welsh government tried to sex up the case for controversial reconfiguration of health services," he said.

In a statement the Welsh government said: "Our reasons for withholding the information were clearly set out in our response to the FOI request and set out in Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) determination.

"The ICO has ruled in favour of the release of the information but has stated in his judgement that the arguments for and against release were finely balanced in this case."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-23168439

BRIDGEND FACES DOWNGRADE - ACT NOW!

WARNING: COMPLACENCY RESULTS IN LOSS OF SERVICES FROM BRIDGEND'S PRINCESS OF WALES

 In 3 weeks time Bridgend's fate is sealed currently the consultation has received 60% in favour of REMOVING Princess of Wales services compared to 20% for keeping.... Please ACT NOW follow the link sign your name and address and share... The future of our special babies unit, consultant led births, children's ward and A & E lies with YOU!

 Save Our Services - Stop The Downgrade! 


 CLICK HERE

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URGENT

Make your case for Bridgend to retain A&E, Consultant led births, Children's Ward and Special Babies Unit...

Email your views to swpresponse@wales.nhs.uk

Or fill in the questionnaire...

https://www.ors.org.uk/web/survey/index/sid/826615/lang/en

PRINCESS OF WALES NEEDS YOU!

Save Our Services - Stop the Downgrade!

Jabs and 999 calls in NHS priorities

The framework outlines the priorities for the NHS in Wales

Immediate action is needed by the NHS in Wales to increase vaccinations of young children, reduce A&E waiting times and to get to grips with bed blocking, health chiefs say.

The NHS Delivery Framework priorities for 2013/14 also include spot-checks relating to patients' dignity of care.

NHS Wales chief executive David Sissling said the focus was "quality, patient experience and outcome".

Opposition parties say cancer care and doctor training also needs to improve.

The priorities outlined are:

spot checks and patient surveys to see if dignity in care is improving

ensuring improvements in ambulance response times, patient waiting times in A&E departments and access to planned care

vaccinating 95% of children up to the age of four with scheduled jabs such as the triple vaccine MMR

closer working with social care agencies to reduce emergency hospital admissions

Mr Sissling said: "It will ensure the NHS can drive up standards in key areas. During the course of the next few months we will be looking to further improve our targets.

"We will be working with our staff, stakeholders and service users to ensure we are monitoring and measuring the things which will really make a difference."

In a move to ease pressure on hospitals, Health Minister Mark Drakeford last month said patients should leave as soon as they can and not continue to occupy a ward bed.

Measles crackdown

This month a review of the ambulance service ordered by former Health Minister Lesley Griffiths recommended a revamp of its performance targets and said crews should concentrate on emergency patients with routine transfers to hospitals becoming the responsibility of local health boards.

The focus on vaccination rates comes as Wales is tackling its largest measles outbreak in a generation, with 1,136 suspected cases since November 2012.

MMR drop-in clinics finish this weekend, but jabs will be available from GPs

More than 60,000 unscheduled MMR vaccinations have been given aimed at reducing the length and severity of the outbreak but Public Health Wales says another 33,000 youngsters between 10 and 18 still have not had the jab.

A spokesman said: "Our MMR uptake in small children has been rising over the last few years but we are still short of hitting the 95% target for both doses of MMR that would eradicate measles in Wales."

The issue of dignity in care follows concerns highlighted by the public inquiry into Stafford Hospital which uncovered neglect and abuse of patients leading to hundreds of unnecessary deaths between 2005 and 2008.

It was also raised in December by Cynon Valley MP Ann Clwyd who complained that her husband Owen Roberts had died "like a battery hen" at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff.

She is now advising Prime Minister David Cameron on how NHS hospitals handle complaints.

Opposition parties in Wales have responded to the publication of the priorities by highlighting other issues they want tackled.

Welsh Conservatives health spokesman Darren Millar said: "There is nothing here to suggest the cancer delivery plan will be dusted off and implemented, no guarantees on abysmal cancer waiting times, and nothing to address the unfair divide in access to cancer drugs."

Plaid Cymru health spokesperson Elin Jones said there was a need to "train more doctors in Wales, and ensure that more doctors that train in Wales stay in Wales to work".

Welsh Lib Dem leader Kirsty Williams said the priorities were "hardly surprising" and the party would use them to ensure "the Welsh Labour government learns from its mistakes and starts to actually improve our health service, rather than sitting back and continuing to allow our NHS to deteriorate".

BBC © 2013

Campaigners warn against complacency - Glamorgan Gazette (23/5/13)

CAMPAIGNERS warned there is “no room for complacency” after health chiefs endorsed a plan not to downgrade services at the Princess of Wales Hospital.

Bosses behind controversial shake-up plans for hospitals in South Wales yesterday formally recommended that the PoW retain key services, as the Gazette exclusively revealed last week.

 

The hospital was named by the South Wales Programme’s board as a “best fit” to become one of five “regional centres” along with University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, Morriston Hospital, Swansea, and the new Critical Care Centre, near Cwmbran.

Merthyr Tydfil’s Prince Charles Hospital is also among the health board’s preferred sites, meaning specialist services at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital in Llantrisant could be downgraded.

 

Abertawe Bro Morgannwg, Aneurin Bevan, Cardiff and Vale, Cwm Taf and Powys health boards agreed to adopt the South Wales Programme’s recommendation on Wednesday. The plans will now be subject to an eight-week public consultation, which starts today.

If it does become a regional centre, PoW will treat more

patients from a wider catchment area but would retain its 24/7 specialist A&E department, consultant-led baby care service and inpatient children’s ward.

 

Campaigners said they were encouraged by the news that PoW could become a regional centre – but urged caution.

 

The three other options would all see PoW lose consultant-led accident and emergency, maternity and children’s services.

 

Mel Hughes, of Carmen Street, Caerau, organised a march in February against the possible loss of specialist services.

“It’s imperative that the people of Bridgend are aware that this is only a recommendation and this decision can be changed,” he said.

“I’m very encouraged about the proposal that Bridgend becomes a regional centre because at the beginning of our campaign it looked like Bridgend was not getting anything.”

He added: “I’m really delighted at the proposal we remain a regional centre but we still have to be careful.”

 

Ian Spiller – the driving force behind the Bridgend Princess Of Wales – Save Our Services – Stop the Downgrade campaign – said: “The fight is far from over – that is the view that I would like to get across.

“In Bridgend we cannot afford to be complacent.”

 

Health chiefs argue staff shortages are being compounded by recruitment problems, making safe standards of clinical care more difficult to sustain.

Dr Graham Shortland, medical director of Cardiff and Vale University health board, said: “We cannot continue to provide consultant-led maternity and neonatal care, inpatient children’s services and emergency medicine for the most seriously-injured and sickest patients in all hospitals – we are not providing the highest quality care for patients all the time and our doctors are spread too thinly.

“Concentrating these services in fewer hospitals in South Wales will mean that patients with life-threatening injuries and illnesses will get faster access to senior clinicians when they come to hospital.

“The changes will help improve the standard of care we are able to give to all patients when they come to hospital in the future.”

Health board bosses said if the proposal goes ahead, some services – such as planned surgery – could be transferred to the Royal Glamorgan from the Princess of Wales and the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff.

 

Bethan Jenkins, Plaid Cymru AM for South Wales West, said: “Once again, I find myself disappointed by how a health service consultation is being framed.

“The proposals raise a considerable number of questions on how they will be delivered.

“These four options could well force people into turf wars over saving services at their local hospital. It’s important to remember this consultation has come about through a failure of management, not a failure of services.

“People pay their taxes because they believe in investing in the health service. Instead, we are being told that not enough doctors can be recruited by health board directors who were appointed to do just that – and paid very handsomely for it.”

 

Liberal Democrat AM Peter Black said: “These proposals are not set in stone. We need to remain vigilant, continue to make the case for our hospitals to keep these services locally and above all, ensure that the new consultation reflects the views of residents in Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend.”

 

Tory AMs Byron Davies and Suzy Davies challenged the

Labour-led Welsh Government to tackle the root of the problem.

“I accept there is a recruitment crisis in Wales in attracting more doctors especially in emergency medicine but the Welsh Labour Government needs to tackle the causes rather than seek to centralise emergency medicine in too few centres,” said Mr Davies.

Suzy Davies said: “The fight put up by the people of Bridgend and the Vale to keep all services at PoW has been critical. But there is no room for complacency.

“This is only a recommendation so it is essential we keep up the pressure to ensure we retain a viable hospital in Bridgend.”

 

Labour’s Ogmore AM Janice Gregory AM said: “I am pleased that the public will now get their say on definite proposals, including the recommended option of five centres including the Princess of Wales. Nothing is yet decided so I would urge everyone to respond to the consultation.”

 

Bridgend AM and First Minister for Wales Carwyn Jones told the Gazette: “It’s important that the Princess of Wales is a regional centre as a preferred option.

“It’s important still of course that people make their views known as part of the consultation process but it shows the strength of the hospital in terms of its staff and training facilities.”

He added: “As far as Bridgend is concerned it’s a preferred

option and that is something I will continue to advocate.”