Plaid ask for assurances on Fairwood Hospital future
Plaid AM Dr. Dai Lloyd has written to Health Minister Edwina Hart following a recent statement made by Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University NHS Trust’s Acting Chief Executive Calum Campbell regarding the future role of Fairwood Hospital.
Mr. Campbell recently stated that he had “difficulty” in seeing Fairwood Hospital’s role in the future of the NHS in Swansea.
Dr. Lloyd has now written to Ms Hart asking for reassurances that this “essential service will continue to provide elderly care beds to those in need”.
Dr. Lloyd today stated:
“Fairwood Hospital has been the subject of much speculation in recent years. We fought a long and hard campaign to save the hospital some 2 years ago, and as such I was disappointed to read the comments questioning its future once again.
“As far as I’m concerned, the importance of Fairwood in Swansea’s NHS provision is clear. We regularly hear of a shortage of beds at Morriston Hospital culminating in A&E patients having to wait hours on end on trolleys.
“I believe that Fairwood Hospital has a role to play in the future NHS provision in Swansea and the surrounding areas.
“With an ageing population we are going to see an increase in the number of people who will need medical treatment, and while many can be accommodated by community care, there will always be a group of people who are well enough to leave an acute hospital bed, but not well enough to be at home. This is where units such as Fairwood have a vital role to play.”
Dr. Lloyd added:
“The CHC, Unions and local authority put forward a very strong argument in favour of retaining Fairwood Hospital and those arguments still stand.
“Why is it always patient care that suffers when trusts need to tackle financial deficits and not the many tiers of management?
“I have written to the Health Minister outlining my concerns and I do hope that she shares my view with regards to any suggestion of hospital closure.”
