Sir,

My name is Lyn Neville and I am the co-ordinator of the local charity, Pembrokeshire Cancer Support.

I have watched with interest, attended meetings, requested information, read reams of reports and publicity etc and I can say I am very concerned about the future of the health service in Pembrokeshire.

My main worry is for cancer services at Withybush Hospital.

I attend CDU (Chemotherapy Day Unit) stakeholders meetings; I am a Cancer COP (Care of Pembrokeshire Services) and most importantly have been, and continue to be, a patient.

A new CDU has been promised for many years and still we are talking about it, but now with the added worry of, will there be cancer services in Pembrokeshire or will they be centralised in Carmarthen.

Cancer services are my main worry because it affects me personally, but what is happening to the rest of the services at Withybush? Histopathology, which is a vital service to look at tissues of the body etc, has gone from Withybush. Orthopaedics are strongly rumoured to be centralised at Prince Phillip in Llanelli, obstetrics is strongly rumoured to be on the move to Carmarthen, along with paediatrics.

The recent closures of Minor Injuries Units in Pembroke Dock and Tenby do not fill me with confidence of the Health Board's vision for the future.

I have recently seen the Hywel Dda Health Board Charitable Funds Annual Report for 2010-11.

The clue is in the name, 'charitable'. These funds have been donated by people who have thought enough of the services of their local NHS to leave donations in the form of collections or in wills etc.

The accounts showed that the three counties of Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion had £8.2 million between them in charitable funds.

At a recent meeting, I asked how much of this was donated by Pembrokeshire people, to which I was told about £3 million.

I have written to the chief executive, under the Freedom of Information Act, to ask how much is for Pembrokeshire and how much is for each separate section, e.g. Tenby Cottage, Ward 10 Withybush, CDU Withybush etc, etc.

Why is the Health Board sitting on these funds?

I have the utmost respect for the staff on Ward 10 at Withybush, but if anyone has spent time on Ward 10, they will know it is in need of update and improvement.

I know a lot of money is given to Ward 10 in charitable donations, so why is it not being spent on Ward 10?

Is it because we will not need Ward 10 for much longer. Maybe, some of the funds could be spent on a very much needed oncology consultant on Ward 10?

The population of Pembrokeshire is in excess of 119,000 people, which increases hugely during the tourist season.

Surely a population of this size should have a fully functional hospital with the best services available?

I urge the people of Pembrokeshire to stand up for your local hospital. You can never be sure when you will need it.

The Hywel Dda Health Board are having 'engagement events' to show the public what a great service they will offer going forward.

Please attend these events and ask some very awkward questions and demand your answers in writing.

Please do not be fooled by buzz words and rhetoric. Phrases like 'consultant led service' do not mean the consultant will be in 'your' hospital.

The Hywel Dda Health Board chairman stated that 'Withybush has a future and will not be downgraded.' I only hope he will stick to that claim.

Finally, I would urge the people of Pembrokeshire to not let apathy get in the way. It is in all our interests to fight to save services locally.

The Health Board has an ethos of 'keeping care local', so how can services being moved away possibly fit with this aim. We must all stand up and shout to save our local health service.

Lyn Neville,

Pembroke Dock