Carwyn Jones taken to task over centralisation

South Wales Major Trauma Centre looks like being the latest in a string of services to be centralised in Cardiff

Plaid AM Dai Lloyd will tomorrow (Tuesday, September 26th) call on the Labour Welsh Government to develop a vision for Morriston Hospital in Swansea to become a truly regional centre of excellence, and to stop the centralisation of services in Cardiff.

Dr. Lloyd will make the call during First Ministers’ Questions and will claim that the Labour Government in Wales is too ready to see services being centralised in Cardiff – the latest example being the South Wales Major Trauma Centre.

Dr. Lloyd will also state that this constant centralisation of services, and the loss or dilution of specialist tertiary services at Morriston could potentially undermine attempts by the Swansea Bay City Deal and ARCH (A Regional Collaboration for Health) to develop health research and innovation in South West Wales.

Dr. Lloyd stated:

“The recent move to establish the Major Trauma Centre in Cardiff is yet another move which may ultimately see specialist services being centralised in Cardiff, and away from Morriston Hospital. No amount of spin can hide the fact that this service will now be further away from patients in South West Wales.

“The worrying aspect for me is that the recommendation to establish the Major Trauma Centre at Cardiff, instead of Morriston Hospital, is the latest in a string of services to be centralised in Cardiff, following the loss of Paediatric and Adult Neurosurgery from Morriston Hospital some years ago.

“The Labour Welsh Government has strategic responsibility for health and ultimately it is their responsibility to develop a vision for health in Wales. I am not convinced that they have a clear vision of how they would like to see Morriston Hospital to develop.

“Given its geography, catchment area, and key specialities, Morrsiton Hospital has the potential to become a key regional centre of excellence in South West Wales, but it needs Welsh Government commitment and support to be able to flourish. I am calling on the Welsh Government to set out a firm vision for Morriston hospital which will build on its strengths.

“Only by having interesting tertiary services will Swansea and South West Wales ever be able to attract the very best in terms of medical staff and researchers. Indeed, the Swansea Bay City Deal and ARCH programme are founded on the principle of developing South West Wales as a leader in terms of health innovation and research. If the Welsh Government does not commit to supporting Morriston hospital into the future then it raises the risk of undermining the work that is being undertaken by the City Deal and ARCH. The Labour Party in Wales must recognise that Wales does not end in Cardiff. They must not allow Swansea and South West Wales to be left behind.”