Sticking plaster solutions to Cwm Taf health problems

An unusually full public gallery at the Council Chamber in Clydach on 28^th October saw Alison Williams, Chief Executive of Cwm Taf Health Board, tell RCT Councillors she wanted to give “full reassurance regarding the future of A&E and Minor Injury Units.”

She said that the closure of the Minor Injuries Unit at Cwm Rhondda hospital is not about the ‘rot setting in’ or about taking services away from the area, and went on to give categorical reassurance that A&E services at the Royal Glamorgan will not disappear.

Yet as well as causing problems for residents in the Rhondda who now have to travel further for treatment  for non urgent or non life threatening injuries this is bound to have knock on effects for patients at A&E.  The Royal Glamorgan is busy enough at the best of time – it will now have to cope with the extra influx of patients with minor injuries who have nowhere else to obtain treatment. 

The closure of the MIU is temporary so they say – but they said that about the downgrading if the SCUBU unit at the Royal Glamorgan.  That has now become permanent.   That also was about a shortage of suitably qualified staff.

Ms Williams stated clearly that “This is not about money.  No matter how much money I have I cannot employ doctors and nurses that are not there.”  She said they cannot keep using a ‘sticking plaster’ to address the problems but need sustainable solutions.

This is a story that is echoed throughout Wales.  So where have the health boards been – and what has the Health Minister been up to all this time?  This problem hasn’t suddenly appeared out of nowhere.   It takes years to train doctors and specialist nurses – this should have been addressed earlier.

Labour are fond of blaming everything on the Westminster Government.  Well let’s be clear.  Health is a devolved matter.  In Wales it is the responsibility of the Welsh Government – the Labour Government.  It is not about money – Ms Williams made that very clear.  It is about lack of adequate planning and management.

You get what you vote for

Before the May election we warned that staff shortages were having an adverse effect on hospital services in this area.

Our candidate for Pontypridd Mike Powell issued a press release which expressed concern over the future of some services at the Royal Glamorgan hospital following reports from employees there that staff shortages are resulting in a fall in service provision.

"Some time ago it was rumored that the A&E department at the Royal Glamorgan was to be closed and services moved to Merthyr. At the time those rumours were proved to be groundless. However, in October last year cutbacks were made in services at the minor injury units at Aberdare and Llwynypia because of a lack of suitably qualified staff.

I have recently had several members of staff at the Royal Glamorgan contact me with concerns that this is just the start and that continued problems may result in the closure of the department."

Cwm Taf Health Board stated twelve months ago that there were on-going recruitment problems and that they could not continue with their previous methods of using overtime and agency staff in the long term.

Nobody appeared overly concerned – the press release, as with so many, was ignored by the local Labour leaning press, we were dismissed as scaremongering.

Now residents – as reported in the Rhondda Leader and by Wales online – are up in arms because, guess what?  Staff shortages are forcing the closure of the minor injuries unit

Cwm Taf Health Board said it has been forced to close the service because it is struggling to recruit doctors to work in the Royal Glamorgan and Prince Charles hospital A&E departments.

Another two doctors will leave A&E at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital, in Llantrisant, this month

Well I hate to say this, but you do get what you vote for.

Far too many people fell in line and stayed true to their red roots, they voted for a Labour party who promised them they were still the party of the people, on their side.  That they and only they could protect the education of their children, their free bus passes, their welfare benefits, their jobs, and yes their health service.

Well you know who got us into this state?

You’ve guessed it – the good old on the side of the common people Labour Party.  Well done to everyone who let them get away with it.

A&E times still off target

The BBC today reported that A&E waiting times miss targets with about 12% of patients having waited four hours or more to be seen after arriving in A&E last month.

Cwm Taf are reportedly better than Cardiff and The Vale - probably because a large number of patients are lost trying to find out where they are supposed to go for treatment.

It you visit Cwm Taf website there is a page entitled Choose well "It explains what each NHS service does, and when it should be used. Choosing Well means that you and your family will get the best treatment. It also allows busy NHS services to help the people who need them most."

It recommends the Minor Injury Units at Llwynypia and Aberdare for cuts, bites and sprains and states that "Most are open from early in the morning until late at night."   Click on the link and you will find the opening times for these two units is 9am to 4.30!   Late at night?

We heard anecdotal evidence during the Assembly campaign that the A&E department in the Royal Glamorgan is over stretched.  The minor injuries units, as reported in the local press last year, have had their hours cut back because of staff shortages at A&E.  Furthermore the A&E at the Royal Glamorgan is being put under pressure because staff are being sent to cover shortages at Prince Charles in Merthyr.

Still people in the area are obviously not concerned about the lack of services - most of them did vote for more of the same after all.