Dismay after meeting on neurosurgery
NEUROSURGERY campaigners say they feel even more disillusioned about the future of the city service following a face-to-face meeting with Edwina Hart.
Talks were held between protesters and Swansea-based AM Peter Black with the Assembly Health Minister and NHS chiefs yesterday over the decision to switch serious life-saving operations from Morriston to Cardiff.
Campaigner Val Taylor, who was among the team of market volunteers who helped collect names for the Post's petition against the switch, said she felt Mrs Hart had done another U-turn over the service.
Mrs Taylor, aged 74, of Garden Village, Fforestfach, said she felt that the people of West Wales had lost out.
She said: "I am more disillusioned now than before I went into the meeting with Edwina Hart.''
In July last year the Assembly Health Minister, who is also the Gower AM, dramatically saved the Morriston unit from the axe after 105,537 people put their name to the publication's campaign.
The new changes to neurosurgery came into force following a key level report that recommended that complex inter-cranial surgery is based in the Welsh capital and that pre-and post-operative neurosurgery remains in Morriston.
Swansea-based health chiefs stressed the decision was good news, particularly as Morriston Hospital has been recommended to have a new CT scanner which will help it retain its Major Trauma Centre status.
Under the scheme, more spinal surgery operations will take place at the Swansea hospital — saving patients from West Wales travelling to Cardiff.
Mrs Taylor added: "The general part of neurosurgery is staying in Swansea but basically serious operations are being lost to Cardiff.
"As far as I am concerned Edwina Hart has done a U-turn. "Will all the neurosurgery go to Cardiff in the future? The problem is there is no service for serious operations west of Cardiff."
While Mrs Taylor welcomed the decision to have a CT scanner at the Morriston site, she said it was unlikely to be put in place for between 12 and 18 months.
Mrs Taylor added: "I am concerned about the future of the service."
The fight to save Morriston's neurosurgery department got underway in July 2006 following a controversial proposal by Health Commission Wales (HCW) to centralise the department in Cardiff.
But NHS Wales chief executive Paul Williams previously pledged that the neuroscience centres at Morriston Hospital and the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, would both remain in place.
Peter Black, who is Lib Dem AM for South Wales West, said he believed the Assembly Government had let patients down.
He added: "This meeting confirmed that the Minister has no intention of reversing her decision and returning emergency neurosurgery to Swansea.
"This is, of course, disappointing."
"I am unsure as to how the minister could give us assurances that services would remain at Morriston Hospital only a few months ago, and yet now welcomes the centralisation of emergency brain operations to Cardiff. It is clearly going to lead to increased travelling times for people living in Swansea and further west despite what we have been told for years by this government."
An Assembly Government spokesman said: "The Health Minister agreed in a private meeting with Peter Black and Val Taylor today that she would put in writing a summary of the discussion that took place and the reassurances given on services.
"The Minister does not normally comment on private meetings."
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by James Sheridan, Swansea
Friday, November 20 2009, 8:26PM
“Re:Mike, Swansea Valley & Chris, Uplands
Childrens Services have had problems around the UK, not just in Swansea! Therefore, suggests the wider provision of Childrens Services in the Social Services framework models in the UK have been failing some of those children they are meant to protect.
With regard to the two Childrens Homes, as I recall, I read that one is currently empty while the other has only one person in it! Though ideally, I wouldn't want to see the Homes closed, as future needs may require such Homes, the reality is that a decision has been made to close them and as the LA has more information available to it than what is drip fed to us via the EP, whether we like it or not, we'll probably have to accept the closures in the assumption that the monies saved will be targeted into other Childrens Services in Swansea.
With regard to Earlsmoor Respite Centre, again ideally, I wouldn't want to see the Respite Centre sold, as it does appear to have offered Patients a way back to health before coming back to live in their Communities. However, as it wanted modernisation, which the WAG Inspectors did comment on, it was likely that the cost of modernisation was a factor to be considered. As other forms of Care, such as "...increase the availability and choice of respite care, which include accessible holidays, specialist short break hotels or provision of designated respite beds in extra care housing schemes", should rightly be considered as part of a Care Management package.
I should state, that the above are my own opinion, based on the known facts and may differ from the views of others!”
by James Sheridan, Swansea
Friday, November 20 2009, 7:44PM
“Perhaps Paul Jones from Swansea should stick to his forte, looking after dogs!”
by Paul Jones, Swansea
Thursday, November 19 2009, 7:28PM
“No response means YES! obviously.”
by Chris, Uplands
Thursday, November 19 2009, 4:48PM
“No response from Mr Sheridan to the questions posed by Mike, Swansea Valley. Does he support the closures or not?”
by Mike, Swansea Valley
Thursday, November 19 2009, 9:39AM
“Does James Sheridan have equally strong views about Lib Dem leadership which has led to a decline of childrens services at Swansea Council? What does he think about the closure of two childrens homes as a remedy? Does he think that selling off Earlsmoor respite centre is an acceptable move. The people have a right to know what their political candidates think - don't they?”
by Dai Bando, Abertawe
Thursday, November 19 2009, 9:32AM
“Why don't the Welsh Assembly, build a 60ft wall around Cardiff in commemoration of Rhodri Morgan finishing, won't cost them much, and then we cann all try and scale it, when we need treatment or need something off the assembly. What about those people down west, could mean life or death situation now it's all moved to scum city. LOL.”
by anon, west wales
Thursday, November 19 2009, 12:27AM
“was edwina hart questioned about not recruiting the specialist doctors needed to keep this service in swansea open or was it deliberately rundown and a lack of specialists then used as an excuse to move it to cardiff ?”
by jacko, ssea
Thursday, November 19 2009, 12:14AM
“so much for rhodri morgan and his listening to the people after a 100k petition.
the people of cardiff voted against devolution yet they are the ones who have benefited the most from it.
the agenda has always been to build up cardiff that's why fortunes have been spent on the cardiff bay barrage, senedd, wales millenium centre, milleniumn stadium, childrens hospital, etc, all in cardiff. while the rest of wales are classed as second class citizens.”
by Paul Jones, Swansea
Wednesday, November 18 2009, 10:26PM
“I would expect nothing less from Edwina Hart and with regard to James Sheridens` wonderful world of Lib Dems, well not even worth commenting.”
by dai evans, swansea
Wednesday, November 18 2009, 9:35PM
“Jim --again you seem to glorify in, that a Labour minister has failed to live up to previous promises made--- The facts are the whole Welsh Assembly including all political party's are an unnecessary financial burden ---It is the people of West Wales who are the real losers. What magic wand would the Lib/Dems have used on this issue?.”