One of the leading campaign groups fighting for the retention of services provided at Tenby Cottage Hospital has vowed to keep the pressure on health chiefs to make sure they honour their promises for new facilities for the town.
"Following a meeting of CATCH (the Campaign for Action on Tenby Cottage Hospital), it was resolved to take up the offer made by Jane Hutt, secretary of state for health, to join the working group set-up by the Pembrokeshire Local Health Board, to work for the implementation of the proposals for south-east Pembrokeshire," Clr. Michael Williams, CATCH chairman, told the Observer this week.
"Whilst recognising that what is being offered falls far short of the re-provision sought by local campaigners, it was felt that as a group we must do all in our power to maximise what has been offered," he said.
"CATCH will remain as a watchdog to ensure the delivery of the promise made by the minister, and will meet on a regular basis," he stressed.
"It is of the utmost importance that the promise of 10 beds in the private, or voluntary sector, is fulfilled, and that those beds are exclusively for the use of NHS patients, under the supervision of a senior NHS staff member, and staffed by fully trained nurses," he continued.
"It is nine years since the then Health Authority announced the closure of the Cottage Hospital. During this time, the effect on staff in our hospital has been most unsettling; they have been put in an impossible position, not knowing from one month to the next what the future held.
"We now hope that the steadfastness of those staff will be recognised by both the Board and Health Trust. They are an invaluable asset, that must not be lost to the local community."