Sir, I recently wrote a letter to the Tenby Observer entitled, 'I want to trust Hywel Dda Health Board - but how can I?', which caused a bit of a interest and concern. A few days previous to this letter being published, I attended a project board meeting for the Pembrokeshire Oncology Lounge Project Group at Withybush Hospital. This project group is being headed up by Mr. Paul Hawkins (chief operating officer for Hywel Dda Health Board). I have to say the meeting was quite productive and a 62-week window has been put in place for the completion of a 'new' Chemotherapy Day Unit (or Oncology Lounge, though this name may change, as no one knows what that means!). This window of time also includes the refurbishment of Ward 10, for which £250,000 has been set aside from Pembrokeshire Cancer Services Charitable Funds. Whether this amount will cover the full cost is unknown, as Ward 10 certainly needs a big overhaul. I am still awaiting some clarity on whether Ward 10 can be re-established as a 'cancer ward' following the refurbishment, with its own 'dedicated' palliative care, oncology and haematology beds. The fact that other parts of Hywel Dda Health Board do not have dedicated beds does not make it right, and I believe, with dedicated beds at Withybush, it makes the hospital a leader in cancer care in the Health Board area. The meeting discussed the much publicised problems of recruitment of consultant oncologists and palliative care consultants. Mr. Hawkins (who gives the impression of being a doer and a fixer - I hope) promised this would be revisited and steps would be taken to find the right people and to better 'sell' Pembrokeshire to prospective staff. Vacancies would be placed as soon as possible. I look forward to this being done. Mr. Hawkins also promised that the staff of Ward 10 and the Chemotherapy Day Unit would be fully consulted and would actively be encouraged to help with the new facilities and services. This, if it happens, would be a huge leap forward, as staff have not been included when previous promises were made. The area for the new Chemotherapy Day Unit has been agreed within the existing hospital and plans will be drawn up which will include staff input. Mrs. Bernadine Rees (chair of Hywel Dda Health Board) spoke recently to the full council of Pembrokeshire County Council and gave an excellent quote by saying that oncology and palliative care services at Withybush Hospital would be, 'the Best in the West'. I certainly hope Mrs. Rees is as good as her word, as I would love this to be true, and will fight to make sure it happens. The project board have said that the public of Pembrokeshire will be kept up to date with progress through the local media. I had a conversation with Mrs. Sue Lewis (county director - Hywel Dda). Mrs. Lewis was shocked at my article and the fact that she thought we were working together through the project board. I explained that I stood by my report and its content, but I am more than willing to be part of a successful project to establish the cancer services and facilities that are badly needed. I genuinely like Mrs. Lewis and I think we both have the same aims, but have different ways of getting to that end result. I fully appreciate she is constrained in what she can tell me about certain issues surrounding cancer services, but sometimes 'the unknown' is what causes the problems. I have to be honest and say I am sceptical about the delivery of what has been promised, but that is only because of years and years of promises being made and broken. I would be very happy to write 'good news' stories about Pembrokeshire cancer services moving forward and improving. I think Mr. Hawkins is now more understanding of the public perception that Ward 10 is a specialist cancer ward and a 'safety net' for cancer patients. He said he would do his best to move forward with this in mind. Overall, the Project meeting was good. If Mr Hawkins is as good as his word, this project will get done. It is a case of openness, honesty and transparency on the part of the Health Board that will get this done. I am more than happy to work with them, as long as this project is to genuinely improve services and not be a sticking plaster. Small steps, but good steps so far. I am allowing myself to think this will work! I will keep you informed and fight for your services.

Lyn Neville, Pembrokeshire Cancer Support.