<p>The Future of Trauma Services in South Wales</p>

Part of 1. 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:12 pm on 26 September 2017.

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Photo of David Lloyd David Lloyd Plaid Cymru 2:12, 26 September 2017

(Translated)

Thank you very much for that response, First Minister. Naturally, the recommendation to establish the main trauma centre in the University of Wales Hospital, Cardiff, is another example of a service that is being centralised in Cardiff at the expense of Morriston Hospital in Swansea, and this follows the loss of other services such as neurosurgery some years ago—neurosurgery for children and adults has disappeared from Swansea to Cardiff. Indeed, Morriston lost the neurosurgery unit for children although the only paediatric neurosurgeon throughout the whole of Wales was based in Morriston, but that wasn’t enough to retain the unit in Morriston, and it was moved to Cardiff.

Naturally, therefore, there is concern in the south west of Wales that specialist services are being lost and that Morriston Hospital doesn’t appear to be prominent enough in Welsh Government plans. Losing or weakening services undermines the status of the hospital as a regional centre of expertise, and also the city deal objectives in Swansea, which is looking to develop research and health posts of high quality. Also, the burns unit at Morriston—the only one in Wales, which also serves the south-west of England—the presence of that burns unit is crucially important for any major trauma centre. So, given all of that, will you, as a Government, commit to introducing a detailed vision for the Morriston site that builds on its clear strengths?