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Hywel Dda hospital care review decision due Health reform: Prince Philip A&E to become nurse-led unit
(about 9 hours later)
A panel of experts is to give its verdict on controversial plans to shake up hospital services in west Wales. Controversial plans to turn the A&E service at Prince Philip Hospital in Llanelli into a nurse-led unit supported by GPs have been approved.
Patient watchdogs referred Hywel Dda Health Board's plans affecting accident treatment and specialist baby care to the health minister. It was one of several disputed changes to hospital services in west Wales proposed by Hywel Dda Health Board referred to the health minister.
Mark Drakeford is due to announce the findings of an independent panel set up to scrutinise the board's plans. Mark Drakeford appointed a panel of experts to assess the plans.
The health board said its changes would help deliver "first class healthcare" but opponents fear service cuts. He said he also backed the "general thrust" of changes to neonatal care but had not yet approved them.
The proposals involve centralising some specialist care for babies at West Wales General Hospital (WWGH) in Carmarthen and changes to accident and emergency care at Prince Philip Hospital in Llanelli. Mr Drakeford told AMs on Tuesday he wanted more consideration of the idea of developing a 24-hour emergency baby transport service before any neonatal proposals were given the final approval.
In April, patient watchdog Hywel Dda Community Health Council (CHC) decided to formally refer those elements of the health board's plans to the Welsh government for a decision. He has also asked the health board to do further work on how its obstetric, midwifery, and gynaecological services will fit in with the plans.
The CHC said it could not support the health board's proposal to develop a nurse-led injury service in Llanelli and recommended an alternative GP or doctor-led model. Mr Drakeford said he endorsed the "underlying model" that more complicated care for babies should be centralised in one location.
It also announced it was unable to give its backing to the development of a more specialist neonatal unit in Carmarthen - suggesting funding should instead be used to improve a network of special care baby units within the region. Campaigners in Pembrokeshire had opposed the move as it would lead to the closure of the special care baby unit at Withybush Hospital, Haverfordwest, with services moving to the West Wales General Hospital in Carmarthen.
The plan to develop neonatal services in WWGH would lead to the closure of such a unit at Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest. Judicial review
Hywel Dda Health Board argued the changes would help it deliver "first class healthcare services to the local population, now and into the future". The minister said his decisions were based on the recommendations of a panel of experts set up after the Hywel Dda Community Health Council (CHC) patient watchdog objected to some of the board's proposals.
Tuesday's announcement will be the latest development in a lengthy process which started long before the health board made final recommendations in January on wide-ranging proposals including: Campaigners in Llanelli have been given leave for a judicial review of the A&E changes, but Mr Drakeford told AMs on Tuesday that he would approve them.
But in February, the CHC decided it could not support most of the proposals and referred them to the then health minister Lesley Griffiths for a decision. "At Prince Philip Hospital, in 2011-12 its emergency department saw 33,000 patients, of which 6,500 were major cases," he said.
"422 of these needed to be transferred to another hospital.
"The remaining 80% of patients were treated at the hospital and the decision I have made today means that this position will be no different in the future."
The announcements were the latest development in a lengthy process which started long before the health board made final recommendations in January on wide-ranging proposals including:
In February the CHC decided it could not support most of the proposals and referred them to the then health minister Lesley Griffiths for a decision.
In one of her last actions as health minister, Ms Griffiths told the CHC in March that its referral did not satisfy Welsh government rules as it had not proposed alternatives.In one of her last actions as health minister, Ms Griffiths told the CHC in March that its referral did not satisfy Welsh government rules as it had not proposed alternatives.
In April the CHC said it could not accept the health board's neonatal and A&E changes and referred those proposals for a second time to the Welsh government.In April the CHC said it could not accept the health board's neonatal and A&E changes and referred those proposals for a second time to the Welsh government.
Meanwhile, the CHC was able to "conditionally accept" the closure of the two minor injuries units and the closure of Mynydd Mawr hospital which are now in the process of being implemented.Meanwhile, the CHC was able to "conditionally accept" the closure of the two minor injuries units and the closure of Mynydd Mawr hospital which are now in the process of being implemented.
In response, the newly appointed health minister Mark Drakeford announced that chief medical officer Dr Ruth Hussey would convene a scrutiny panel to "consider these issues" and "examine all relevant documentation". In response, the newly appointed health minister Mark Drakeford set up a scrutiny panel led by chief medical officer Dr Ruth Hussey to "consider these issues" and "examine all relevant documentation".
Mr Drakeford is due to announce the panel's findings on Tuesday afternoon. The judicial review of the A&E changes at Prince Philip Hospital is due to take place in November.
In a separate process, the health board's decision to change A&E care provision at Prince Philip Hospital will be subject to a judicial review following a challenge by local campaigners.
The hearing will take place in Cardiff in November.