Save Neath Port Talbot Hospital's acute services, demands MP
FORMER Welsh Secretary Peter Hain is to demand action to stop Neath Port Talbot Hospital's emergency medical service from being axed.
The Neath MP said he was extremely disturbed to be told that acute medical cases would no longer be treated there from September because of problems recruiting doctors.
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Peter Hain
"It's an excellent local hospital," he said. "It's a new hospital that only opened 10 years ago and people value it deeply.
"When the hospital moved from the Penrhiwtyn site in Neath we were given a cast iron guarantee from the then government that the service would not be diminished and I'm determined to ensure that remains the case.
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Mr Hain said he would write immediately to Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board chief executive Paul Roberts to complain and to urge the board to "start recruiting heavily".
"I cannot believe this recruitment problem is insoluble," said Mr Hain.
ABM said the Wales Deanery, responsible for postgraduate doctor training, had decided to move CT2 doctors from Neath Port Talbot to "more suitable training environments" from August.
These are the most senior doctors responsible for the care of acutely unwell medical patients.
"Without these doctors the safety and care of acute patients is compromised to the degree that it is not safe for these patients to stay in hospital," said a spokeswoman.
"The health board moved swiftly to identify alternative ways to staff these medical posts to provide both a short and full-term replacement in sufficient quality and number.
"We undertook an international recruitment campaign and also developed a new role to appoint academic research doctors to encourage more applicants.
"Unfortunately, despite these efforts, we have not been able to appoint enough doctors needed for a safe service."
But Mr Hain said he was not swayed, arguing that if the doctors could not be found in the UK the trust should look further afield.
Aberavon councillor Tony Taylor, whose ward includes the hospital site at Baglan Moors, said he would be asking Neath Port Talbot Council chief executive Steve Phillips what action the authority could take.
Mr Taylor said the decision on acute medical care at Neath Port Talbot meant it was being downgraded to a cottage hospital.
"We want medical emergencies seen here, we want full A&E and we want a fully functioning hospital," he said.
"We have a population of more than 50,000. We have a major industry right on our doorstep, yet they are closing everything and forcing patients to go east and west.
"It's the only hospital in the region that has room to expand and they're downgrading it. Ambulances will be going past it to take people to hospital, which is ridiculous."
paul.lewis@swwmedia.co.uk
Comments
by allanp1232
Monday, July 16 2012, 5:12PM
“We and I am proud to say that I am LABOUR fought for years to get this hospital built, Since it opened the other larger hospitals e.g Princess of Wales,Singleton etc. have been trying and succeeding in closing some of the facilities, thier A+E facilities are overburdened, it would better serve the communities by fighting to keep Neath Port Talbot as a viable Unit. This will fall on deaf ears I suspect because as the comments above are only concerned at laying blame instead of taking up the cudgel and fighting!!!!!! By allan”
by VISIONSKI
Tuesday, July 03 2012, 1:12PM
“I wrote to Peter Hain on the 17/3/2011 echoing my concerns that this Hospital was constantly being down graded and nothing was done. This is the result of paying 50million pounds for a New Hospital instead of updating the old Hospital for a fraction of the cost. The promises were nothing but lies by our Health board. The people of Neath & Port Talbot and surrounding arears have been short changed. This Hospital now is becoming a cottage Hospital all but name. We should all now write to the Health board informing them that we have no confidence in their running of our services and asking them to resign.”
by williamwaun
Monday, July 02 2012, 10:55PM
“Maybe we can downgrade the assembly”
by antyall
Monday, July 02 2012, 5:20PM
“Far too many buildings under PFI have proven to be white elephants. New hospitals were needed but they are far to close together to have any benefit. Yes labour got it wrong but no one opposed them at the time.”
by Dai_Chotomy
Monday, July 02 2012, 9:44AM
“One step nearer closure and another Private Finance Initiative disaster.
Who was the clever individual in the Labour Party that came up with the daft idea in the first place? And who was in the Cabinet at the time Mr Hain?”
by flepwales
Monday, July 02 2012, 9:38AM
“Its been being downgraded since it opened, there maybe 1 doctor in the A&E if your lucky, the maternity dept has to send you away while your in labour if theres a problem etc, the old hospital had everything as well as being a nurse training establishment with a large nurses home. The demise of this great hospital happened under your party Mr Hain so stop trying to get yourself headlines by making out your trying to save our services.”
by sochat
Monday, July 02 2012, 9:20AM
“Crocodile tears from Hain yet again,after all who are these people on the health boards.They are liebor cronies placed there by their liebor masters to take the unpallatable decisions atarms length.”