MP and AM seek reassurances on Hospital Future
9th July 2012
Aberavon MP and AM Dr Hywel Francis and Mr David Rees have held a meeting recently with senior NHS officials from Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Trust on the future of Neath Port Talbot Hospital.
Dr Francis and Mr Rees said
‘We had a full and frank discussion with ABMU officials about their plans for the future. We expressed our concern with their decisions regarding acute medical services at the Baglan Hospital but were reassured that the hospital was not to be downgraded and it has a long term secure future.
We proposed that they should continue to explore ways of recruiting appropriately qualified doctors and consider re-opening the medical wards at a future date and lobby too for more enabling immigration rules. We also urged that they enter into immediate discussions with the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales to increase the number of medical students at Swansea and Cardiff Universities.
We urged ABMU to quickly reassure the public that there will be sufficient capacity at neighbouring hospitals to accommodate the additional work-load placed upon them and also sufficient transport to and from these hospitals
We also urged that ABMU continue their dialogue with publicly elected representatives and staff to ensure the long-term future of a safe hospital providing high quality services.
We welcomed their commitment to the long-term important future role of the hospital with a range of specialized services relating to gastroenterology, intensive rehabilitation, rheumatology and breast surgery in addition to new services already underway.
Dr Francis and Mr Rees concluded
‘We want to work with ABMU to seek a way forward without engaging in megaphone politics.
