Rhondda health services

Plaid Cymru in the Rhondda last night (25th October) held an open meeting to discuss local health services. The long term future of the Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) is under threat at the new hospital in Llwynypia, having been closed on a 'temporary' basis. The out-of-hours GP service is also under threat.

The meeting was well attended with representatives from Rhondda over-50s forums as well as councillors of both political shades and health service workers, including trades union representatives. There was agreement that a strong and united campaign was needed to protect our local health services and to stop further centralisation. We agreed to ask for the Chief Executive of the Health Authority to attend a public meeting to outline the plans for health services in the Rhondda as part of a campaign to save our local services.

Permanent closure of the MIU at Ysbyty Cwm Rhondda would have drastic knock-on effects. In the meeting we were told by a paramedic how local ambulance services are struggling now, regularly having to get back-up from Cardiff and elsewhere due to low cover in the Rhondda. A&E at the Royal Glamorgan will see longer waits. Nurses told us how other departments will be run-down in Ysbyty Cwm Rhondda as many currently serve the MIU and will have their work diverted to the Royal Glamorgan. Their feeling was that the MIU had been allowed to run down over time - firstly by closing over Christmas periods, then closing on Saturdays, then reducing opening hours during the week and closing at 4pm instead of 5pm.

Concerns have been expressed to me about the MIU for well over a year. I have raised the issue on numerous occasions in the Assembly and with officials from the Health Authority. I have been told that there have been recruitment problems but that there are 'no plans' to close the MIU at Llwynypia Hospital.

When the First Minister opened Ysbyty Cwm Rhondda just last October, he vowed to protect from any potential cuts, telling Rhondda Plaid Cymru protestors who were calling for guarantees for the future of the MIU - “It is a fairly new facility and we want to make sure that facilities intended to be here are kept here”.

We all understand that budgets have been cut and that public services need to change. However, the health service belongs to the people. Changes should not be made in secret. The Health Authority should publish their plans for any changes to services to allow people to have a say on those plans. Front-line services must be protected and that includes services in our new local hospital. Otherwise, it'll be people with already pressed incomes who will have to fork out more on travel, paying the price for a financial crisis that was caused by a bunch of bankers and their friends, who continue to live the life of Riley.

There are numerous petitions circulating in the Rhondda calling for our local health services to remain. We will shortly be announcing details of a public meeting and a march through the Rhondda. If you value you local health services, please get involved in our campaign.



Leanne Wood

Plaid Cymru Assembly Member

South Wales Central

Independence

Scotland is going places. That was the over-riding mood at this weekend's SNP conference in Inverness.

Alex Salmond has every reason to be confident and optimistic. His speech reflected the confidence and optimism that will be needed on the part Scotland's people if the referendum on independence is to be successful.

It's hard to work out where the No campaign will come from. The Tories are in a terrible mess. Will they rely on their party bosses in London to put the case against?

Long time Labour supporters are starting to see independence as inevitable.

In her fraternal address from Plaid Cymru to the conference, Elin Jones AM said that we should now be thinking about the implications of all of this for Wales.

“As you, in the SNP and in Scotland, consider the real possibility of creating an independent Scotland, we are left to consider what would be left. A UK Government governing all English matters, and only some Welsh matters and even less Northern Irish matters. It is now time for a serious debate on the future constitutional relationship of the countries of the British islands. It is time to debate equality, not subservience and dependence. To us, the UK is currently a pretence of a country. After a Yes vote in your referendum, it could no longer pretend to anyone, not even itself.”

Can we in Wales emulate the enthusiasm, confidence and determination which was on show in abundance in Inverness this weekend? A glimpse of what is possible was seen in the build up to the rugby world cup semi-final. The nation was united in wanting success then. If that same drive could be dedicated to building and equalising Wales, there'd be 'nae limits' to what we could achieve.

Save Remploy

The network of government-subsidised supported employment factories operating under the Remploy banner are under threat of closure. The consultation on the Sayce Review comes to an end on Monday. The workers and their trades unions have been collecting signatures on a petition as part of their campaign to save the factories. (You can 'like' their facebook page here).

I paid a visit to the Porth factory yesterday. Many of the workers there would love to work in mainstream employment. However, they know the jobs climate isn't good in the valleys and they know plenty of former colleagues who lost their jobs in the Trefforest factory three years ago who are now on benefits. If their Remploy factory closes, they know they are unlikely to get another job.

There is a need for supported employment. There is also a need for services to help people with disabilities get in to and stay in mainstream employment. In some places, there are very few jobs.

With job losses in Wales rising fast, Welsh government action should be taken to protect the 400 plus jobs in the Welsh Remploy factories. I have put the case for the devolution of the Remploy budget, asking the First Minister to make respresentations to Westminster and for a commitment to saving the jobs should the devolution request be granted.

With political will and creativity, for example, by looking at how public procurement contracts could be granted by using article 19 of the EU directive, not only to protect existing Remploy jobs but to expand supported employment opportunities in Wales. I was told yesterday that the Porth factory would be a viable business if they had just one local authority's IT contracts. Remploy has a future in Wales if our government wants it.