Campaigners armed with placards have been demonstrating for a second week running for the retention of services provided at Tenby Cottage Hospital.

The latest protest, which was made prior to a meeting of the Pembrokeshire and Derwen NHS Trust Board in Haverfordwest on Wednesday, was a last opportunity to influence decision making locally, before the full business case for the project is sent to Welsh Assembly minister, Jane Hutt, for final approval and funding.

As reported in last week's issue, the Pembrokeshire Local Health Board approved the proposal for a new build resource centre with outpatients, day therapy and care and 16-hour minor injury unit at Gas Lane, together with plans for 10 beds for intermediate, rehabilitation and respite care to be based in the independent sector.

This preferred option was also given the thumbs up by the meeting of the NHS Trust, leaving members of CATCH (Campaign for Action on Tenby Cottage Hospital) and the League of Friends no alternative, but to lobby Ms Hutt to overturn the decisions made by the local health chiefs.

"We are writing to Jane Hutt calling for a meeting of utmost urgency," CATCH chairman, Clr. Michael Williams, told the Observer yesterday (Thursday).

"This will be our last ditch attempt and she is our only hope to retain the services provided at the hospital, otherwise with the inpatient beds in the private sector, the premises at Gas Lane will be nothing more than an outpatient facility."

Local AM Christine Gwyther, who joined stalwart campaigners and hospital supporters, is also seeking a meeting with Jane Hutt between now and September, when she will make her final decision, so that protesters can put across their viewpoint in the light of the 'decision which in effect privatises beds and downgrades the present service'.

NEGATIVE MEETING

Ms. Gwyther also claimed that last week's meeting of the Pembrokeshire Local Health Board was 'the most negative, depressing and stage managed meeting' she has ever attended.

At the meeting, when the full business case for the reprovision of services at Tenby Cottage Hospital was approved, the Assembly member for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, handed Board members a summary of the 2,500 letters she had received from constituents, all of whom believe there should be in-house beds at the new hospital in Tenby.

Like some other members of the public, Ms Gwyther was given permission to speak and outlined fully the argument for beds.

She also questioned the disappearance of funding promised by Jane Hutt.

"On the floor of the Assembly, on June 25, Jane Hutt told me that there was £4 million earmarked for Tenby hospital," Ms. Gwyther told the Observer afterwards. "But it now appears that the Pembrokeshire Health Board only want to use £3.3 million of it.

"How on earth can they justify leaving £700,000 in Cardiff Bay that rightly belongs to health provision in south-east Pembrokeshire? I cannot see the logic, unless they want their legacy to be the same as John Redwood, who sent money back to the Treasury when he was Secretary of State for Wales. Looking for Brownie points instead of serving their community," she continued.

"Local campaigners spoke very eloquently about the need for beds in the new Tenby hospital. But the Health Board, when they came to discuss the matter an hour later, were unmoved. None of the Board members raised serious or searching questions. The whole thing appeared to be a 'done deal'. Our arguments, and those of other AMs and MPs who had written in, were totally ignored.

"If this is the sort of democracy the new Pembrokeshire Local Health Board is giving us, well, they can stick it. They hid behind previous Health Authority and NHS Trust decisions, pretending that those decisions could not now be overruled. However, on talking to a Cardiff AM the day after, I learned that the new Cardiff Local Health Board had overturned a previous unpopular decision to close Cardiff Royal Infirmary without reproviding the services and had, in the words of my AM colleague, 'come up trumps; had made local democracy work for the people'. If they can manage it in Cardiff, why not here?

"The fight certainly goes on. If they will not listen, we will take the fight to Jane Hutt when she is asked to rubber stamp the Health Board's decision.

"A decision that satisfies no-one, leaves money which rightly belongs to us in the coffers of the Welsh Assembly Government, that flies in the face of local democracy and common sense, cannot be right. I hope the members of the Local Health Board can live with themselves. I know I couldn't."

APPEAL TO

HEALTH MINISTER

Local county councillor and chairman of CATCH (Campaign for Action on Tenby Cottage Hospital), Clr. Michael Williams, has also written to Health Minister Jane Hutt urging her to overrule the Health Board.

"I write to you with a plea from the community of Tenby and Saundersfoot," says Clr. Williams in his letter.

"Please will you intervene in the decision making regarding Tenby Cottage Hospital. The situation is causing extreme concerns in the area, in particular about the cavalier way in which the Health Board has dealt with reprovision of services.

"Despite the conclusions of at least two in-depth studies, that reprovision was needed in the area of a community hospital, they have decided to go ahead with the construction of a health facility without beds. It is their intention to purchase 10 beds in the private sector, which is entirely contrary to promises made over a period of 10 years to the people of the area, and against the recommendations of the two consultative groups, which were set up by those very same bodies that are now acting in such a perverse manner. I would also point out the parlous state of the private sector, with considerable numbers of care homes closing. How can we rely on provision in this sector of much needed beds?

"We are informed by officers of the Board that they have already secured a commitment from this sector that 10 beds in one establishment will be available. This is entirely contrary to research carried out by The Campaign for Tenby Hospital. We have not been able to find a care home that can offer this commitment. When we have asked the Board where this facility is, they have declined to tell us. Are we to have 10 beds scattered around various care homes in South Pembrokeshire?

"It now appears to be down to funding, but the difference in costs between NHS provision and private sector is minimal. The conclusions of the Board are being driven by blind ignorance. The health service in this area of South Pembrokeshire will not be able to cope without a new community hospital. I find it amazing that the views of health service professionals have been totally ignored.

"I would also remind you that your colleague Edwina Hart did announce in The Assembly that funding was available for a new hospital in Tenby; I urge you to keep that promise. As you are aware, the cost of setting up the new Health Boards across Wales was estimated at M £20. Frankly, the Pembrokeshire Health Board is failing to deliver. In particular they are meant to listen to the needs of their communities and respond to those needs. This board has comprehensively failed on both counts.

"We have support from right across the political spectrum. I can never remember such a feeling in this community on any issue. Please will you take account of these feelings and overrule the Pembrokeshire Health Board."