Arfon AM , Sian Gwenllian, says that the Health Board's response to recent concerns about the future of vascular services in Bangor poses more questions than answers.
Sian Gwenllian said:
'Two years ago, we successfully campaigned to retain full maternity services at Ysbyty Gwynedd,Bangor. The Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board is now relentlessly pursuing the centralisation of another service - the vascular service which has dire consequences for patients in north west Wales. Recent responses from the Board has done nothing to allay fears about the future of inpatient and emergency provision in a core area of work which if removed could have a spiralling negative effect on the whole hospital and thus on patients' welfare in north west Wales.
Vascular services are a key part of the care provided at Ysbyty Gwynedd, and include surgery for people who have life-threatening bleeds and surgery to save limbs to which the blood supply is threatened as well as continuous care for renal patients on dialysis.
The lack of transparency by which this major change is being pushed through is of immense concern and the following questions need answering.
1)Is it the intention of the health board to close down the inpatient and emergency services presently provided at Bangor and Wrexham in order to set up the service from scratch at another site?
2)Will there be a ward for vascular inpatient services at Ysbyty Gwynedd after the centralisation has happened?
3)What will happen to emergency vascular services, i.e. will patients continue to be admitted to and treated at Ysbyty Gwynedd in the case of a life- or limb-threatening emergency, or will they need to travel to Glan Clwyd?
4)Wouldn't upgrading the present facilities in Bangor and/or Wrexham be far cheaper than building a hybrid theatre at a site which presently has very little vascular provision?
I strongly oppose any attempts to centralise the inpatient and emergency vascular services from Bangor to Rhyl and call on Betsi Cadwaladr health board members to put a stop to this detrimental move.'
Be the first to comment
Sign in with
Sign in with Facebook Sign in with Twitter