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Carwyn Jones backs Hywel Dda Health Board plan to scale back winter ops Carwyn Jones backs Hywel Dda Health Board plan to scale back winter ops
(35 minutes later)
First Minister Carwyn Jones has backed a health board's plan to scale back some non-urgent surgery at mid and west Wales hospitals this winter. First Minister Carwyn Jones has backed a health board's plan to postpone some non-urgent surgery at mid and west Wales hospitals this winter.
Hywel Dda Local Health Board said it would not carry out certain elective orthopaedic operations while it dealt with increased pressure on services. Hywel Dda Health Board said on Monday that certain orthopaedic schedules would be cancelled for a period of time while it dealt with increased pressure.
Mr Jones called the proposals, at hospitals in Carmarthen, Haverfordwest, Llanelli and Aberystwyth, sensible. The hospitals affected are in Carmarthen, Haverfordwest, Llanelli and Aberystwyth.
Conservatives said Welsh ministers were "detached" from problems in the NHS. Conservatives said the move would have a "massive impact" on patients.
The health board said if the plans were backed it would review its proposals at the West Wales General, Withybush, Prince Philip, Llanelli and Bronglais, Aberystwyth hospitals "towards the end of the winter surge". The health board said it would review its plans "towards the end of the winter surge".
The health board's plans include using theatres for those with the highest clinical need, increasing day surgery cases and a non-emergency surgical shutdown for two weeks over Christmas. The health service union Unison has criticised the move and said that for patients it would result in longer delays and cause "further distress and possibly further complications to their condition".
It also announced plans to maximise alternative non-surgical treatment methods and monitoring outpatients.
The health service union Unison has criticised the move saying it would result in longer delays for patients.
Mr Jones faced close questioning from each of the three other party leaders at First Minister's Question Time on Tuesday at the Senedd.Mr Jones faced close questioning from each of the three other party leaders at First Minister's Question Time on Tuesday at the Senedd.
'Planning ahead'
They said it was unacceptable the health board was having to cut back on operations, meaning patients would face longer waiting times.
Mr Jones said it was wrong to talk in terms of cancelled operations and accused the other parties of being willing to risk a lack of capacity and last minute postponements.
Mr Jones told Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood: "Hywel Dda is doing exactly what her party has called for - that is planning for winter pressures.Mr Jones told Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood: "Hywel Dda is doing exactly what her party has called for - that is planning for winter pressures.
"It is wholly wrong to say the health board is cancelling all non-urgent elective orthopaedic surgery."It is wholly wrong to say the health board is cancelling all non-urgent elective orthopaedic surgery.
"Those who've been scheduled to have orthopaedic surgery will receive it, all cancer, urgent trauma and day surgery work will continue.""Those who've been scheduled to have orthopaedic surgery will receive it, all cancer, urgent trauma and day surgery work will continue."
'Level of outrage' But in response Ms Wood said Hywel Dda had a waiting time of 15 months for orthopaedic surgery and she urged the first minister "take responsibility" for NHS delays.
But in response Ms Wood said Hywel Dda had a waiting time of 15 months for orthopaedic surgery and she told the first minister to "take responsibility" for NHS delays.
"Are you aware of the level of outrage amongst clinicians at Hywel Dda, who've been told that they're having a third of their work taken away from them this winter?" she said."Are you aware of the level of outrage amongst clinicians at Hywel Dda, who've been told that they're having a third of their work taken away from them this winter?" she said.
Mr Jones told Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Kirsty Williams he was informed about the health board's plans the day before it announced them.Mr Jones told Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Kirsty Williams he was informed about the health board's plans the day before it announced them.
Ms Williams replied: "It seems that you're not very clear about the LHBs plans for this winter, your government isn't very clear about the LHBs plans for this winter and the public and the clinicians, it seems, are not very clear either."Ms Williams replied: "It seems that you're not very clear about the LHBs plans for this winter, your government isn't very clear about the LHBs plans for this winter and the public and the clinicians, it seems, are not very clear either."
Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies told Mr Jones this "again showed that your government is detached from the reality of what many patients and clinicians are experiencing within the Welsh NHS". Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies said it showed "the government is detached from the reality of what many patients and clinicians are experiencing within the Welsh NHS".
Mr Davies questioned whether Welsh ministers were "in the loop" as operations that would have otherwise been scheduled were now being cancelled, decisions that would have a "massive impact on the patient experience and also the ability of that health board to retain its key clinicians".
He accused the first minister of being "flippant" in the face of such serious proposals and warned of the dangers of a "crisis situation" developing over the next five months.He accused the first minister of being "flippant" in the face of such serious proposals and warned of the dangers of a "crisis situation" developing over the next five months.
Mr Jones insisted that what Mr Davies was suggesting would actually cause a crisis situation. Mr Jones said Mr Davies was "either setting out to be disingenuous" or wasn't listening to his replies and insisted that what the Conservative leader was suggesting would actually cause a crisis situation.
The first minister told the opposition parties it was "just as well they're not running the health service in Wales."