 The report questions the future of West Wales General Hospital |
NHS watchdogs say plans for a 'super hospital' serving all of west Wales raise more questions than answers. Community health councils (CHCs) in Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire say the proposals lack "meaningful and significant detail."
They said many patients would travel greater distances and predicted strong and vocal opposition from the public.
The CHCs plans to canvas opinion about the proposal over the three month consultation period.
Sian Thomas, chair of the Carmarthenshire CHC, said the proposal represented the biggest upheaval in hospital care in west Wales for many generations.
"I can see that we need new services and new hospitals - Glangwili (West Wales General) is the oldest general hospital in Wales," she said.
"But all the other issues that are not answered in this report are our concerns.
"Where is the report saying it is going to improve the service in the community for those minor things that are going to be treated in the community, like minor accidents?
"It also does not address the logistics of travelling to this supposed new hospital.
"We have no dual carriageways west of St Clears - the geography of the whole area does not lend itself to one central point of care."
Ashley Warlow, chief officer to Pembrokeshire CHC, said it was too early to say if the report was something the council could support but said it appeared the county would lose its sole district general hospital.
"The document at first glance appears to be grand and glorified sales brochure that has been more than a year in making but worryingly lacks any meaningful and significant detail," he said.
Mr Warlow said at best it represented the start of the debate on the future of acute services and predicted many people would be worried by the proposal.
"At this early stage it is difficult, if not impossible, for me to say today whether these plans will be acceptable and particularly if one new hospital is better for patients.
"Thirty years ago there was a huge local campaign to save our hospital here in Pembrokeshire and the core services it provides - it is quite likely that we will see a similar reaction within the public arena again this time."
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The document at first glance appears to be grand and glorified sales brochure that worryingly lacks any meaningful and significant detail
