The Princess of Wales Hospital will NOT be recommended for downgrading under controversial hospital service shake-up plans, the Gazette understands.
The rumour was firmed up by a senior NHS source yesterday – days before health bosses’ preferred options for frontline service reconfiguration are publicly released.
The Gazette has learned the Coity Road hospital will likely be named as a preferred option to retain its key services – including its 60,000-patient-a-year specialist A&E department – when the South Wales Programme (SWP) board unveil their public consultation document next week.
It is understood Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil will also be named as a preferred choice for a “regional centre” hospital – along with the already confirmed choices of University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, Morriston Hospital, Swansea, and the new Critical Care Centre, near Cwmbran.
That means the Royal Glamorgan Hospital, Llantrisant, would miss out.
Leaders from the five health boards involved in the SWP process will meet to formally sign off a consultation document next week before another round of public consultation follows.
But it is understood PoW scored highly in the criteria and will be mooted as a preferred hub hospital.
“It is recognition that PoW has, for many years, had a very good reputation and a high level of care for the people in its area,” said the NHS source.
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.
The news is likely to buoy campaigners in Bridgend, thousands of whom have voiced concerns about possible service reductions.
But they have been warned no final decision has yet been made and were urged to keep up the fight during the upcoming consultation period.
“As you can well imagine, people in the Rhondda are going to be pretty disappointed,” said the NHS source.
“There is no room for complacency in Bridgend about this.
“People have to attend the next round of consultation events and keep on fighting until the final decision is made.”
Clinicians and health bosses have been working for months on the plans to centralise A&E, consultant-led maternity and neonatal care and children’s inpatient services at fewer South Wales hospitals, arguing these services are currently spread too thinly to be run safely.
It is understood the consultation document will include various hospital configuration options, with the “best fit” option of regional centre hospitals in Cardiff, Swansea, Bridgend, Merthyr Tydfil and the Cwmbran centre.
Health board bosses behind the SWP said the consultation document is still being finalised.
A joint statement from the chairmen and chief executives of Abertawe Bro Morgannwg, Aneurin Bevan, Cardiff and Vale, Cwm Taf and Powys health boards said: “The formal consultation process will commence in line with the agreed timetable.
“The consultation documentation is currently being finalised and will incorporate all the options to be consulted upon.
“It will also identify the option that best fits the assessment criteria, which has been used in the process so far.
“Following agreement by all the boards to proceed to consultation, there will be a full and open process to listen to and consider the public’s views about all the options.”
Cardiff lawyer Michael Imperato, who is involved in a judicial review of Hywel Dda Health Board’s bid to downgrade the A&E service at Prince Philip Hospital in Llanelli, said he “feared” for Llantrisant’s Royal Glamorgan Hospital.
“Put it this way, I have had concerns put to me about the Royal Glamorgan and none from anyone in Bridgend or Merthyr,” he said yesterday.
“I fear for the Royal Glamorgan and would urge people to be ready with their arguments during the public consultation stage.”
No hospitals will close under the plans and clinicians leading the SWP process insist the “vast majority” of patients currently accessing care at their nearest hospital will continue to do so even if it does not become a regional centre.
Meanwhile, the Welsh Conservatives’ health spokesman Darren Millar AM this week called on the NHS in Wales to abandon the reorganisation plans altogether.
He said any move to reduce the number of emergency units in the region at a time of swelling demand would be “just crazy” and would “fly in the face of common sense”.
But Bridgend AM Carwyn Jones told AMs at First Minister’s Questions that Mr Millar’s comments represented a “do nothing” approach, which was “exceptionally lazy”.
Clinicians behind the SWP changes said doctor shortages and other pressures mean change is vital. Dr Grant Robinson, medical director of Aneurin Bevan Health Board, said: “We want to ensure that patients get the right care for their illness or injury and are seen by the right clinicians who can help them return to full health.
“Care for the most seriously injured and sick patients would be concentrated on fewer hospital sites across South Wales, ensuring senior experienced clinicians are available when patients need them.”
More than 4,000 people signed a “Bridgend Princess Of Wales – Save Our Services – Stop the Downgrade” petition before it was handed into the National Assembly last year.
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