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THE HEALTH BOARD HAS LAUNCHED A PUBLIC CONSULTATION LOOKING AT POTENTIAL CHANGES AFTER CLASSIFYING NINE KEY SERVICES AS 'CRITICAL' ROBERT HARRIES Senior Reporter and BRUCE
SINCLAIR, LOCAL DEMOCRACY REPORTER 09:15, 03 Jun 2025 Concerns are mounting over potential service cuts at Pembrokeshire's Withybush Hospital following proposals from the health board
that include transferring patients requiring specialist critical care to Glangwili Hospital in Carmarthen. Hywel Dda University Health Board initiated a public consultation on May 29, which
will run until August 31, regarding possible changes. The board has categorised nine key services as 'critical', asserting that immediate reorganisation is essential. The
identified services include critical care, dermatology, emergency general surgery, endoscopy, ophthalmology, orthopaedics, radiology, stroke, and urology. There will be no alterations to how
individuals access emergency care (A&E) or minor injury care. This has sparked worries that some services currently offered at Withybush Hospital may be moved to other hospitals within
the health board's jurisdiction. _For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation,__ sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here_. In terms of critical care, three
options include intensive care units remaining at Bronglais and Glangwili, an enhanced care unit being established at Withybush and Prince Philip, or patients at Prince Philip or Withybush
requiring specialist critical care being transferred to Glangwili. At present, full emergency general surgery services, including surgical operations, for adults are provided at Glangwili,
Bronglais and Withybush. Patients from Prince Philip are transported to Glangwili. The consultation presents two options in this area. Article continues below Consultant surgeons
specialising in emergency general surgery will be stationed at Bronglais and Glangwili hospitals to provide comprehensive emergency services, including surgical procedures. Patients from
Withybush requiring surgery will be transferred to Glangwili for their operations and then brought back to Withybush to recuperate when they are well enough. The arrangement for emergency
general surgery consultants will see them based at Bronglais and alternating between Glangwili and Withybush weekly to carry out surgeries. Local Senedd Members Paul Davies MS and Samuel
Kurtz MS have emphasised the crucial role of Withybush Hospital. Paul Davies, who has consistently opposed the reduction of services at Withybush, commented: "This consultation is the
latest in a long line of consultations that have all resulted in vital services being cut at Withybush hospital – and enough is enough. "It is not acceptable for the people of
Pembrokeshire to have to travel further for vital health services and I will be fiercely campaigning against Hywel Dda University Health Board's latest proposals. "Withybush
Hospital has been under attack for years because of the health board's ideological pursuit of a shiny new hospital elsewhere in west Wales. Withybush Hospital and the people it serves
deserve support and investment, not more cuts. The Welsh Government should intervene and ensure that services stay put at Withybush hospital." The proposed new 'super
hospital' is not anticipated to materialise in the forthcoming decade, as previously indicated by the health board. Sam Kurtz MS, a native of Withybush, expressed his concerns:
"The loss of vital services at Withybush, including SCBU, consultant-led maternity, and children's A&E, remains deeply felt by local people. The removal of one service often
renders others unviable." He further warned: "If any further service loss were to threaten the viability of the A&E department, that would be wholly unacceptable and would be a
red line. It would be met with fierce opposition from the community, and I will be standing shoulder to shoulder with them in that fight." On financial matters, Pembrokeshire cabinet
member, Councillor Alistair Cameron, who has voiced worries about the proposals at full council sessions, stated: "We all know the health board is struggling to deliver many of its
services and it has described nine of its services as fragile." Regarding the health services' future, he added: "It has now issued a 44-page summary document on the future of
these fragile services. The board needs to clearly explain the options it is looking at and make sure everyone gets a chance to have a say." Councillor Cameron also raised concerns
about patient accessibility to treatments: "I can see some options involve patients having to travel further for essential treatments and that will be a major concern. There will be 11
consultative events in West Wales plus online events. However, the board needs to reach out to those who cannot make the events and do not have access to a computer." Article continues
below During the May 29 meeting, medical director Mr Mark Henwood stated: "No decisions have been made on the options presented, and there are currently no preferred solutions. The
changes we are looking to make are to ensure we have safe, high-quality services and affordable healthcare in the future, and have at their heart the best interests of the people of west
Wales and their patient experience."