By Steve Stratford, Deputy Editor
IT'S been a busy day on the newsdesk today following health minister Edwina Hart's surprise announcement about Llandudno Hospital. I'm sure Mrs Hart would like us to concentrate on the many positives in her Senedd speech this afternoon - and I'm not detracting at all from the fact there's plenty of encouraging news - but I'm also acutely aware that we're not to be distracted from the main issue either.
Mrs Hart has spoken about the recommendations of the as-yet-unpublished Burns Report into service provision at Llandudno Hospital, and although definite announcements have not been made yet, what the report suggests has mixed blessings.
On the one hand, former Wirral NHS chief executive Frank Burns proposes that Llandudno should get its own brand new midwifery department, as well as an MRI scanner, new and improved rheumatology and radiology services, a better gastro-enterology department, improved surgical day case facilities, improved out-patient services, and a vastly upgraded centre for acquired brain injuries. He also reckons Llandudno should become the North Wales centre of excellence for cataract treatment.
That's a heck of a list of good news, but I'm not fool enough to suppose they will all actually get approved and that they will all actually happen. Mrs Hart has flooded the media with a wealth of good news possibilities, but if Llandudno gets more than 50% of these improvements I'll be impressed.
But while this news is positive, and is welcomed by Llandudno Hospital Action Group, campaigners are mindful that the Burns Report also proposes that the coronary care and acute stroke unit should transfer to Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, and that breast surgery should shift there too.
The CCU (the value of which I can vouch for personally) and breast surgery facilities form the basis of the Weekly News and HAG Hands Off Our Hospital campaign, and we shall not lose sight of that. It's all well and good Edwina Hart and Frank Burns trying to blind us with possible - but by no means confirmed - enhancements and expansions at Llandudno Hospital, but feelings still run high that these two vital services should remain at Llandudno. I mean, if you or a loved one was suffering a heart attack, would you rather they went to nearby Llandudno or much further away Bodelwyddan or Bangor? It's the difference between life and death.
Mrs Hart is to meet yet again with campaigners before a final decision is made, a welcome move indeed. But I can only assume she is delaying the inevitable confirmation of the transfer of services from Llandudno, and not merely still considering it.
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Vincent McKenzie wrote...
This government has a fantastic record of lies, propaganda and spin. All I can say is watch this space and you will see the old one two slight of hand trick. Before your very eyes you will see this government pull the rabbit from the hat yet again and get it's wicked way with the bovine herd: and this is the part that always baffles me, everyone will be celebrating with much gratitude.
This country has never known such a level of corruption within it's government before in all it's history. We have never before been represented by such a gang of trough snuffling, self perpetuating, seedy and criminal MP's
Posted by: Vincent McKenzie | February 27, 2008 6:54 PM