Hay on Wye Town Council Public Meeting 17/11/06
Mayor
of Hay Gareth Ratcliffe chaired a full public meeting involving, local GPs,
League of Friends, Town Council, County Councillor James Gibson Watt, Community Health Council, The Black Mountains Area
Action Group, AM Kirsty Williams, and MP Roger Williams.
Maggie Sims, League of Friends, spoke to encapsulate the current
position and to summarise the many plans for action. These
included the ongoing campaign of letter writing to each and
every member of Powys LHB - it was felt that they needed
to be reminded of their personal responsibility in this and
any future proposals. Copies would continue to be sent to Kirsty
Williams and Brian Gibbons.
It was understood that the campaign
was not just for Christmas but for the future, and that pressure
on the LHB to start listening to local needs would not falter.
There was much public interest in the make up and function
of the board and who these people really were. How were
they accountable? Questions were raised regarding the boards
fitness for purpose in looking after our health care.
Mention was made of the rally at Cardiff with CHANT. Two coaches
will attend from the areas affected by possible closure of
Bronllys hospital.
These will aim to travel in convoy with coaches from Builth Wells, Llanwrtyd
Wells and Llanidloes.
Local GP’s agreed to fund this transport at a previous meeting and
Dr James Wrench’s bed push to Cardiff was discussed. Support was given for the excellent ‘Save Powys Hospitals” Website
which is acting as a unified front piece for campaigning and updating.
Both Kirsty Williams and Roger Williams spoke to give their support voraciously to all the local campaigns
The Council spoke re the lack of planning and consultation with them by Powys
Local Health Board and the fact that they in keeping with the rest of us could
spot planned cuts in services however they were presented.
Both the Council and the Mayor himself spoke to say that rural areas were fed
up with continual service cuts in all directions and these would not be accepted.
Local GP’s spoke over the concern that consultation with the CHC
and public was not robust or transparent and they have requested
a personal meeting with the minister through Kirsty Williams
AM. If this is not agreed they will demand to meet Brian Gibbons
at the CHANT Rally.
In the context of “What can we do to help?” it was stressed that
staff at community hospitals needed to be made aware that proposals
for closure in this manner were not going to be accepted and that
there was a fight on to save their much valued jobs and professional
roles in our community.
Comment was made from more than one quarter regarding the unstinting
attendance and support of Kirsty
Williams AM at all these public
functions.
Report from DD (south) - many
thanks