Completed petition A call for the return of 24 hour Consultant led Obstetrics, Paediatrics and SCBU (Special Care Baby Unit) to Withybush DGH.
SWAT has fought for the retention of safe, effective and accessible secondary health care services for the people of Pembrokeshire since 2005. A previous petition failed to retain Consultant led Obstetrics, Paediatrics & SCBU at Withybush DGH. The Health Minister and Hywel Dda Health Board unjustly removed 24 hour Emergency Consultant led Obstetrics, Paediatrics & SCBU from Withybush DGH in 2014 and left the people of Pembrokeshire with an unsafe, inequitable and poorly accessible third class health option for, in particular, mothers, babies and children.
On behalf of SWAT and the people of Pembrokeshire I call upon the National Assembly for Wales to urge the Welsh Government to ensure that Consultant Obstetrics, Paediatrics & SCBU provision be immediately returned to pre 2014 levels. SWAT and the people of Pembrokeshire do not agree with the centralization of services onto the Glangwili site.
The Health Board was obliged to carry out Equality Impact assessments and these have clearly shown that a whole swathe of the most vulnerable in our society have been and are being put at risk by these changes. In particular the most vulnerable, the very young, pregnant women, the economically challenged and those with disabilities have been profoundly affected and continue to be. The Health Board have all this documented in their assessments but they seem to be unable or unwilling to find remedies for these issues.
I ask you to return services to the first class services they used to be. This would re-provide equitable, accessible, safe and sustainable services instead of the current arrangement which seriously disadvantages the most vulnerable people in Pembrokeshire.
This petition was considered by the Petitions Committee
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