Plaid Cymru politicians have condemned the recent announcement that a long-awaited new hospital for Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire will not be operational for at least another decade, calling it “a major setback for the communities of West Wales.”
With discussions about a new hospital in West Wales dating back to 2006, the additional ten-year delay announced by Hywel Dda University Health Board represents a staggering 28 years of delays!
Two possible sites in Whitland and St Clears have been earmarked for the facility, with an original strategy published back in 2018 outlining that construction of a new hospital could be completed by 2029, with plans to repurpose Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest and Carmarthen’s Glangwili General Hospital.
“Is anyone surprised?” asked Tenby’s county councillor for the north ward Cllr Michael Williams.
“The community has been misled from the very beginning, even going back 30 years to our campaign which was led by the indomitable Mrs Pat Wright to save Tenby Cottage Hospital. The level of duplicity flowing from the Health Board at that time was truly staggering.”
Cllr Williams said that he noted the comments of Conservative Senedd Member for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire Sam Kurtz about being led up and down the hill by the Labour Government.
“He is quite correct. I occasionally attended the so-called health consultation meetings held in New Hedges village hall, where over paid bureaucrats from the Health Authority poured forth platitudes, when we were told that the new hospital was getting closer with potential sites reduced from three to two,” continued Cllr Williams.
“They knew then that absolutely no money had been allocated even for a scoping exercise. The Health board is not the only duplicitous party. The local Labour party and their ‘Independent’ apostles are equally responsible, hosting meetings under the cover of South East Pembrokeshire Community Health Network, giving free range for these falsehoods to be propagated.
“Please, please, can we have at least a degree of honesty. The fact is there isn't any money and current system is bankrupt. You have two choices. We appear to be rapidly becoming a third world state where you have to take a chance on ever growing waiting lists or go private. What a legacy!”
Cefin Campbell, the Plaid Cymru Assembly Member for Mid and West Wales, expressed deep frustration, particularly with the broken promises of numerous business plans, consultations, and raised expectations that have led to the ongoing uncertainty for patients and healthcare workers in the area.
“The current hospitals in Glangwili and Withybush, cannot meet the demand nor provide the level of clinical support that our residents deserve,” he remarked.
“The people of West Wales cannot afford to wait another 10 years without seeing meaningful improvements in their hospitals.
“The Welsh Government must support Hywel Dda Health Board to take immediate action to upgrade Glangwili and Withybush and invest in the clinical services that are currently lacking.
“The people of West Wales deserve better than a decade of delay and uncertainty,” he added.