Figures released for A&E department at the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend MAY 2, 2013

THE ACCIDENT and emergency department at the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend dealt with more than 60,000 patients in 2012.

The under-threat department saw 25,000 people with major health problems and a further 35,000 with minor issues.

The figures were released as a result of a Freedom of information request submitted by Welsh Conservative regional AM’s Byron Davies and Suzy Davies and Vale MP Alun Cairns.

Concerns about the future of the A&E department have been mounting since it was revealed that POW could be downgraded under the South Wales Programme.

Unless it is designated as a regional centre, it will lose its A&E department, its children’s ward, its neonatal baby unit and its obstetrician-led maternity unit.

Instead the hospital will have a minor injuries unit, a paediatric assessment unit but no overnight facilities for children and a midwife-led maternity unit. No gynaecological procedures would take place at the hospital either.

The three also asked for figures relating to the other departments facing closure.

They were told that 4730 children were admitted to the children’s ward during the year while 316 babies were treated in the neo-natal unit.

The maternity department saw 2317 births of which 885 required intervention from an obstetrician. 490 women received epidural anaesthesia. In addition, the gynaecological ward dealt with 1,720 women.

Byron Davies said that the figures were truly terrifying.

“In all, 70,000 people ranging from mothers in labour and newborn babies through to children and adults of all ages received treatment in 2012 in departments, especially A&E, that are now under threat.

“What will happen to the many thousands of others like them in the future if these cut backs go ahead?

“This is an alarming scenario and these figures only show how right it is that the people of Bridgend and the Vale fight to keep all facilities at this district general hospital.

“The most frightening prospect involves A&E. How on earth would the other accident and emergency departments in hospitals like the Royal Glamorgan and Morriston manage if 60,000 extra patients land on their doorsteps?

“Despite a £6m revamp of A&E at Morriston, they are failing to cope with existing demand – and that’s while POW is still functioning normally.

“ I urge the Welsh Labour government to re-think its plans to axe £534m from the health budget over three years. It is not do-able and will decimate the health service.”

Suzy Davies said that while there was an issue with people with minor injuries clogging up A&E, that should not obscure the fact that 25,000 people with serious health problems attended last year.

She also said that closing the obstetrician-led maternity unit would put mothers and babies at risk.

She added:

“Complications can arise very quickly and without prior warning in both pregnancy and during labour with women suddenly needing an emergency c-section.

“If they are in a midwife-led unit with no doctors available, what will happen? There will certainly be no time to put someone in an ambulance and send them to Swansea or Cardiff. Quite simply, they will be dead in the back when they arrive.”

Mr Cairns said that the Western Vale, including Cowbridge, Llantwit Major and other communities would be badly hit by any downgrading at POW.

He said:

“It is important that people from the Vale get behind the fight that’s already taking place in Bridgend to keep these services at the hospital.

“Bridgend is much more accessible than other hospitals like Llantrisant and Llandough. People suffering a heart attack or stroke need to be treated very quickly and I am worried about delays in getting the urgent treatment that’s required if people are having to be taken much longer distances.

“There is also the issue of capacity at the other hospitals and also whether the ambulance service will cope. We already have dire problems with ambulance response times in the Vale and the increased pressure caused by closing these departments at Bridgend will make a bad situation worse.”

No decisions have been made yet under the South Wales Programme and definite proposals are expected in May.