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Royal Glamorgan hospital could lose specialist services Royal Glamorgan hospital could lose specialist services
(about 2 hours later)
The Royal Glamorgan hospital in Llantrisant could stop treating the most serious accident and emergency cases as part of a major NHS shake-up in south Wales.The Royal Glamorgan hospital in Llantrisant could stop treating the most serious accident and emergency cases as part of a major NHS shake-up in south Wales.
Health officials say the "best fit" is to locate specialist services in Cardiff, Swansea, Merthyr, Bridgend and in a new hospital near Cwmbran.Health officials say the "best fit" is to locate specialist services in Cardiff, Swansea, Merthyr, Bridgend and in a new hospital near Cwmbran.
But a consultation will include options involving the Royal Glamorgan.But a consultation will include options involving the Royal Glamorgan.
NHS leaders believe services are currently spread too thinly.NHS leaders believe services are currently spread too thinly.
The hospital also stands to lose consultant-led maternity care and specialist baby care as part of the proposals for the future of hospitals in south Wales. They have warned some specialist hospital services are "on the edge" and could "collapse" unless big changes are made to the way they are delivered.
The Royal Glamorgan also stands to lose consultant-led maternity care and specialist baby care as part of the proposals for the future of hospitals in south Wales.
Five health boards have been drawing up the proposals, which include hospitals from Swansea, Cardiff and Newport, since the start of 2012.Five health boards have been drawing up the proposals, which include hospitals from Swansea, Cardiff and Newport, since the start of 2012.
They argue the changes are essential to ensure hospital care meets UK-wide professional standards and to deal with issues such as a shortage of doctors, an ageing population and financial pressures.They argue the changes are essential to ensure hospital care meets UK-wide professional standards and to deal with issues such as a shortage of doctors, an ageing population and financial pressures.
The plans involve:The plans involve:
At the moment eight hospitals in the region provide one or more of these services.At the moment eight hospitals in the region provide one or more of these services.
Aneurin Bevan Health Board (ABMU) medical director Dr Grant Robinson said: "We cannot continue to provide all these services in every location across south Wales.Aneurin Bevan Health Board (ABMU) medical director Dr Grant Robinson said: "We cannot continue to provide all these services in every location across south Wales.
"We need to concentrate these services to ensure all patients receive safe and sustainable care."We need to concentrate these services to ensure all patients receive safe and sustainable care.
"Our clinicians believe that the best way to do this, while improving safety and the standard of care patients receive, is to concentrate these clinical services in fewer hospitals - either four or five.""Our clinicians believe that the best way to do this, while improving safety and the standard of care patients receive, is to concentrate these clinical services in fewer hospitals - either four or five."
The health boards have been evaluating since September whether concentrating all those services in four or five centres would be most suitable.The health boards have been evaluating since September whether concentrating all those services in four or five centres would be most suitable.
The centres would include the University Hospital of Wales (UHW) in Cardiff, Morriston Hospital near Swansea and a new hospital to be built at Llanfrechfa Grange near Cwmbran. The centres would include the University Hospital of Wales (UHW) in Cardiff, Morriston Hospital near Swansea and a new hospital at Llanfrechfa Grange near Cwmbran.
This would incorporate some services from Nevill Hall hospital in Abergavenny and the Royal Gwent hospital in Newport.This would incorporate some services from Nevill Hall hospital in Abergavenny and the Royal Gwent hospital in Newport.
A two month consultation will consider whether Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil, the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend or the Royal Glamorgan near Llantrisant would be the fourth or fifth centre. A two month consultation will consider whether Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil, the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend or the Royal Glamorgan Hospital would be the fourth or fifth centre.
But health officials said the option which is the "best fit" chooses the Bridgend and Merthyr Tydfil hospitals over the Royal Glamorgan.But health officials said the option which is the "best fit" chooses the Bridgend and Merthyr Tydfil hospitals over the Royal Glamorgan.
The recommendation was based on criteria including travel times, the number of doctors needed, impact on ambulance services and cost, The recommendation was based on criteria including travel times, the number of doctors needed, impact on ambulance services and cost.
In a joint statement, the bosses of the five health boards said they were eager to listen to public opinion in the consultation. The bosses of the five health boards said they were eager to listen to public opinion in the consultation.
They said the ideas had been developed with those on the NHS frontline and the different scenarios had already been discussed with the public over three months last year.They said the ideas had been developed with those on the NHS frontline and the different scenarios had already been discussed with the public over three months last year.
"We carried out this engagement because we wanted to hear the views of the public at an early point in the process - a clear majority said they understood why services need to change and supported the ideas," they said."We carried out this engagement because we wanted to hear the views of the public at an early point in the process - a clear majority said they understood why services need to change and supported the ideas," they said.
"Following agreement by all the boards to proceed to consultation, there will be a full and open process to listen to and consider the public's views about all the options.""Following agreement by all the boards to proceed to consultation, there will be a full and open process to listen to and consider the public's views about all the options."
But opposition politicians have concerns that the proposals would see some services such as A&E downgraded at a time of unprecedented demand. The proposals had a frosty reception from opposition politicians, and the Labour Education Minister Leighton Andrews joined a campaign to maintain services at Llantrisant.
Response Health Minister Mark Drakeford told AMs he could not comment in detail about the proposals but said changes were unavoidable.
Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board in north Wales faced a storm of local criticism when it announced plans to move high level intensive care for babies to an English hospital. "Change is coming in the NHS in Wales, as it is in every other part of the United Kingdom."
After the public consultation was completed, the first minister intervened to undertake a review of the decision to see whether the services could be retained in Wales after all. "If issues do end up in relation to the south Wales plan on my desk for determination I will consider those carefully, I will consider them thoroughly, but I will not unduly delay making necessary decisions," he added.
And campaigners fighting to protect the A&E department at Llanelli's Prince Philip Hospital have been granted legal aid to seek a judicial review of decision by Hywel Dda Health Board to make changes to emergency care at the hospital.
The Welsh government is also considering its response after the west Wales patients watchdog - Hywel Dda Community Health Council (CHC) - referred elements of the health board's plans to the health minister for a decision.
The CHC had previously been instructed by the Welsh government to restart negotiations with health managers.