THERE was an overwhelming response to the plea for personal experiences of maternity and paediatric services as part of an official review last week.
Withybush Conference Centre, Haverfordwest, struggled to hold the scores of people who turned up to air their views and experiences to the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health review panel in Haverfordwest as part of their examination of changes imposed by Hywel Dda University Health Board.
The changes to the services have seen consultant obstetric services moved to Glangwili along with overnight paediatric care.
More than 300 people have submitted online surveys which were added to by those in attendance last Wednesday (July 29) many of whom told extremely moving and difficult stories.
A spokesman for SWAT (Save Withybush Action Team) said after the event: “Tonight was brilliant. About 300 of you came from tiny babies to those in their 80s.
“Lots of raw emotion and heart-rending illustrations of how these service changes are failing the people of Pembrokeshire and of our fears for the future.
“Now we must ask you to do more. Sue from the review team tells me that they have received about 350 survey responses. This is not enough! We need at least 10x that number and preferably 100x. The closing date for the survey is 17th August. Everyone did really well tonight, but let's do more and get the completed surveys up in the 10s of 1000s!”
One health campaigner who attended, Sue Kenny, told members of the Save essential services at Withybush Facebook group that a bigger venue had been needed for the amount of people came.
She added: “The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health reviewers had bit of a shock this evening I think. I also don't think they were prepared for the level of anger and distress spoken openly to them throughout. The main points brought up were that many people have no faith in the so called ''independent'' nature of the review.
“There were many stories of horrendous experiences by young mums being got to Glangwili by various means, quite often not ambulance as they were so often in Carmarthenshire so not available. The distances and the cost to expectant mums/families in money and stress were all repeated again and again.
“They were left in no doubt that many, many people in Pembrokeshire are more than unhappy about what the Hywel Dda Health Board are putting us all through.”
Marc Tierney, Labour Assembly Candidate for South Pembrokeshire said: “For the review to be trusted it must be built on gathering as many patient stories as possible from across the area to balance the other statistical and clinical evidence being collected.
“That is why I called on the Review Team to undertake a further meeting in South Pembrokeshire and in Carmarthen so patients there could meet face to face with the reviewers. This isn’t just about Withybush it is about how the services at Glangwili are meeting patient needs now.”
The survey can be completed online at http://www.rcpch.ac.uk invited review section before August 17. A hard copy can also be downloaded here and then sent to Sue Eardley, RCPCH, 5-11 Theobalds Road London WC1X 8SH.
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