Sir,

I write to share my concerns about the lack of public engagement by the Hywel Dda Local Health Board.

On Friday, November 5, I, along with about 100 other Pembrokeshire residents, attended a meeting called by Haverfordwest Town Council to discuss Withybush Hospital.

I came to the meeting as a town councillor from Pembroke Dock with a list of questions I wanted to ask the chief executive or the chair of the Local Health Board on operational matters which affect the whole of Pembrokeshire.

I was deeply disappointed to see that nobody at all from the Health Board had come to the meeting to answer questions in full.

Even if Chris Martin, the chair, or Trevor Purt, the chief executive, were genuinely unable to attend they should have sent someone, if only as a listening ear. I was clearly not the only person there who felt angry, and I suggest that any future meetings should be planned to ensure LHB personnel are present.

SWAT said at the meeting that they want to start their Withybush campaign next year. They are completely missing the point. Decisions about changes to health delivery are made all the time - and we as the public are not hearing anything about them until it is too late to comment. The removal of the post mortem service is a case in point. Where was the consultation there?

I want a panel to be set up - chaired by the community health council made up of clinicians, members of the local health board, representatives from the community and county councils, carers groups and SWAT.

This panel should attend public meetings set up by the community health council so that we can ask proper, in depth questions and get proper, informed answers.

The LHB's motto is that services should be provided in the right place at the right time, every time. I say that meaningful dialogue with us - the patients - must be provided in the right place at the right time - every time.

Christine Gwyther,