Sir,

Having attended last Wednesday's meeting of the so-called Local Health Board (LHB) with reference to the reprovision of services at Tenby Cottage Hospital, I cannot begin to express my anger and sheer frustration at having to sit and listen to a totally flawed business plan presented to those who were present at the meeting.

The LHB presentation of their case for not providing in-patient beds was ludicrous, as was the financial figures given. This was nothing other than a complete inaccurate nonsense with the sole purpose of misleading the public in order to justify their decision in not providing in-patients beds, which is precisely what several thousands of people of south-east Pembrokeshire indicated in writing to their elected member of the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) Christine Gwyther.

The LHB were asked to state where they intended to provide the 10 beds in the private sector nursing homes in the Tenby area, that will be lost when the existing hospital closes, but they refused to answer this extremely important question.

In a recent report, the Registered Nursing Home Association (RNHA) has revealed that Wales has lost 600 nursing and residential care home beds in the last 15 months, and has said that this is further evidence that the current policies are not working. Wales suffered a three per cent drop in capacity - one of the largest bed reductions in the UK. The RNHA has warned WAG that the foundation of elderly care is being eroded, especially in Wales, and has appealed to WAG to put elderly care at the top of its agenda, particularly with regard to beds.

In the week prior to Wednesday's meeting, the Pembrokeshire and Derwen NHS Trust reported that over the recent months there had been a number of cancelled operations due to the lack of beds available, and that's before Tenby Cottage closes.

In contrast, Cardiff LHB have re-examined their proposal to close Cardiff Royal Infirmary. The move represents a dramatic U-turn on earlier plans to dispose of the hospital after residents objected to original plans to abandon the hospital.

I would question the legality of their decisions that affects the fundamental Human Rights of the people of south-east Pembrokeshire; these unelected members of the LHB, who, apart from one person, live in on the north side of the county.

Indeed, the one and only sarcastic comment that our leader of Pembrokeshire County Council, Clr. Maurice Hughes, could make was to say that there were plenty of other people who had to travel 18-20 miles to visit a hospital, so why should the people of Tenby not do likewise?

I wonder just what hidden agenda our so-called democratic LHB is working towards, as they certainly would appear to be now governing this part of Pembrokeshire with flawed decision-making.

However, it is not too late to over-turn the decision of the LHB. Our WAG Health Minister Jane Hutt has the power to direct the LHB and the Pembrokeshire Derwen NHS Trust, to provide these beds, and where there is will, there is a way.

I would take this opportunity to remind the members of our LHB that they were given their positions on the board to help strengthen and improve the health and well-being of the people of Tenby and the surrounding area of south-east Pembrokeshire; these people are not merely statistics on paper, but real people, who at some time will require real treatment from a real hospital, with real beds.

Tony Wales,

North Norton,

Manorbier.