7. Debate on Petition P-05-826 — Pembrokeshire says NO!! To the closure of Withybush A&E!

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:30 pm on 26 September 2018.

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Photo of Joyce Watson Joyce Watson Labour 5:30, 26 September 2018

—not at the moment, no—us accessing the highly trained medical staff that we need and the experiences that those staff might gain from other parts of the world. So, I’m going to bring that into the mix, because it is very definitely in the mix at the moment.

What I think we need out of this consultation at the moment is some real meat on the bones. What really does it look like? When we talk about community hubs, exactly what are we talking about? Where are they going to be, and what is it that they’re going to deliver for people that is different to now? Is that also going to help with retaining and gaining GPs in our communities, which is also another huge, huge challenge? Do we need to go to hospital all of the time for all of the appointments that people go for at the moment and travel the miles that they do at the moment? I think we need a reasoned debate here in looking at the genuine reconfiguration that has to happen.

And the other question that I ask is this: should we, without thought, be turning down what could be an absolute opportunity to build a hospital in west Wales that might solve all of the problems and bring massive investment in the change that people will need in 10 or 20 years' time that will last for the next, maybe, 30, 40 or 50 years, when, probably, a lot of us in this Chamber won't be around to see that change? We need to think now, clearly, for the people who will need us to do that now, to be a little bit brave, but at the same time to ensure that there is no change at the moment to services before there is an opportunity to take advantage of the new systems in place.