BACH Welsh Assembly "Hospital" Hustings 19/4/07
Yet again there was a fantastic turnout from Builth and Llanwrtyd Wells for the hustings organised by BACH. Over 400 people attended giving a noisy yet respectful welcome to the seven attending assembly candidates. The Strand Hall looked smart, dressed in campaign banners and posters – the scene was set, what were the politicians going to do for our hospital?
The meeting kicked off with a passionate warning to candidates from the Rev Phil Morris (BACH) – they would not incur the wrath of god but would incur the wrath of the local population if Builth Hospital was not saved. Ignore Builth at your peril! He went on to deliver a damming report into the conduct of Powys LHB and detailed the major events and issues of the campaign so far.
See Phil Morris (Video - WMV, 6.6MB)
Hear Phil Morris & Chair Jonathon Morgan (Sound - MP3 audio, 1.5MB)
Hear Phil Morris & Chair Jonathon Morgan (Sound - WMA audio, 3.5MB)
During the event the "Friends" interrupted proceedings to challenge the Local Health Board, yet again, to take up their offer of up to £100,000 to evaluate a care provision plan for Builth that includes inpatient beds.
See the interuption and Jonathon Morgan's explanation (Video - WMV, 7.7MB)
Tabled questions were then taken in turn by each candidate, expertly marshalled by BACH Chair Jonathon Morgan.
Some of the their responses can be seen and heard using the links below:
More video and sound files will be uploaded in the next few days
Rick Newnham, Communist - clear views on accountability but some difficulty in making broader views tangible to the Powys situation. No visibility in our campaign.
See Rick Newnham (Video - WMV, 3.5MB)
Suzy Davies, Conservative - no faith in this LHB and would be seeking LHB abolition and halt to closures. High visibility in our campaign.
See Suzy Davies (Video - WMV, 3.3MB)
Leila Kiersch, Green - calm, clear delivery. Community hospitals sit well with a green agenda with local accountability to the fore. No visibility in our campaign.
See Leila Kiersch (Video - WMV, 2.1MB)
Leila's Blog
Neil Stone, Labour - together with all other candidates did express support for BACH and took on board concerns raised about the LHB. Will report back to BACH after meeting the Health Minister this Saturday (did acknowledge this is as close to Welsh Assembly as he may get!). No visibility in our campaign.
See Neil Stone (Video - WMV, 2.5MB)
See Neil Stone pressed by BACH (Video - WMV, 3.1MB)
Kirsty Williams, Lib Dem - no faith in this LHB and would not work with any party wishing to close Builth Hospital. High visibility in our campaign.
See Kirsty Williams (Video - WMV, 2.7MB)
David Senior, Plaid Cymru - drew on his own experience of previous successful fights to save Welshpool Hospital. Again no faith in this LHB and would seek to halt hospital closures. No visibility in our campaign.
See David Senior (Video - WMV, 3.3MB)
Clive Easton, UKIP - no faith in this LHB and no faith in the Welsh Assembly. Low visibility in our campaign.
See Clive Easton (Video - WMV, 4.3MB)
See BACH Chair Jonathon Morgan summing up (Video - WMV, 3.1MB)
All candidates were treated with respect and it is hoped that they recognise the opportunity they were given and will take on board the aims of the Save Powys Hospitals campaign.
Jonathon Morgan, BACH Chair said "I really want to pay tribute to you, the citizens of Builth & Llanwrtyd for the way you showed your determination to defend our hospital and for the respectful and courteous way in which the candidates were treated. And, perhaps, most of all, for the sheer numbers of you who turned out to make the evening a success.
It’s too easy to think nothing can be done, that politics has little to do with ordinary people any more. An evening like the BACH Hustings is a reminder to us all where power and energy and authority really lie: they lie with us all. It up to us to realise that, and insist that those who represent us do just that – represent us".
Questions:
In general terms, what is your opinion of the way the NHS is run in Wales?
In Powys we have seen declining quality of ambulance services, unwelcome changes to the out-of-hours service, removal of maternity facilities, threats to local casualty services, removal of access to X-rays and so on. The general feeling is that the WAG is running the health service for the benefit of voters in urban areas.
How will you ensure that Powys and other rural areas get enough funding to allow them access to good quality health care?
The general impression in this community is that the LHB is not fit for purpose in management terms, ignores local wishes in consultations and is not interested in service, only in money. And people here are not so dull as not to realise the LHB is only doing what Cardiff Bay tells them.
What would you want the WAG government to do about our Local Heath Board?
(at this point there will be an “unexpected” interruption, where Phil and Glenys offer the LHB with a giant cheque for consultation on the new model of Health Care services in Builth)
This town’s hospital is 109 years old, and local people are passionate about keeping it. They’ve fought off threats to its future many times before. But lately, rather than every few years, the threats have come every few months. The LHB has worked to lower staff morale and has now engineered a staffing crisis which again threatens the hospital with closure in the next few week.
Are you a BACH supporter? If you were in government, what would you do about this next crisis?
Many people feel cottage hospitals are a vital part of local health service provision, if only because they directly contribute to avoiding bed-blocking in larger hospitals, and because they allow local people the chance to spend their final weeks in dignity, within easy reach of their relatives.
Do you think cottage hospitals are worth fighting for?
Links:
Barnett Formula
Welsh Assembly Elections
SPH thanks BACH for the video and sound files.
Report from GG (mid) - many thanks
Pictures from PH (mid) - many thanks