HOSPITAL campaigners are urging Llanelli residents to attend a public meeting tomorrow (Saturday 12th May) about Hywel Dda’s hospital consultation. They aim to send a strong message to the Health Board that the option of downgrading Prince Philip Hospital is a non-starter.
The meeting, which is open to all and will be held in the Selwyn Samuel Centre at 3.30pm, is being organised by Save Our Services Prince Philip Action Network (SOSPPAN). Shaun Greaney, who with Adrian Morgan founded a petition to save Llanelli’s hospital that has gathered over 4,700 signatures, will be addressing the meeting, alongside Llanelli’s MP and AM and other hospital campaigners.
Mr Greaney said: “I think it is ridiculous that the health board aims to decide the future of health services with just a handful of drop-in sessions and only one in the Llanelli area.
“I would urge everyone to attend the meeting tomorrow to send a clear message to the health board: hands off our hospital.”
Nia Griffith MP said: “You only need to be in Llanelli town centre for a few minutes to know that there is such strong feeling here in Llanelli about keeping services at Prince Philip Hospital and about the real need to make services accessible to people, not take them miles away.
“But we need that strength of feeling to translate into a strong message to the Hywel Dda Health Board, so I would urge everyone to attend the meeting tomorrow.”
“We also need to submit hard evidence by feeding in our comments on the consultation, either online or by sending the paper document back FREEPOST – copies available from my office. We need to work together and speak up as strongly as possible for Llanelli.”
Lee Waters AM added: “I’m looking forward to addressing the SOSPPAN meeting tomorrow. We must make it clear to the Health Board that there is no way we will accept a downgrade of Prince Philip Hospital.
“There are huge demands on the NHS across the UK, and here in Hywel Dda, we do need to confront change – but it’s how we do it that’s key and downgrading Prince Philip Hospital, which I’m dead against, cannot be part of that change.
“Nia and I will be out in and around Llanelli every week with consultation documents, and you can fill them in online. I’ve been told by the Chief Executive that nothing is ‘off the table’, so it’s vital that everyone has their say.”
Campaigners will be handing out consultation forms near the EE shop in the town centre on Thursdays and Saturdays from 10.30am to 12.30pm in the next few weeks.
Copies of the consultation document, petition forms and leaflets can be collected from the SOSPPAN events organiser Suzy Curry (0756 1566 456).
