Hywel Dda Health Board consultation launched

The 12-week consultation – Your Health Your Future Consulting our Communities – will give people a chance to have their say on the health board’s proposals to improve services in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire.

 

The exercise is a response to the Welsh Government’s Together for Health programme, which will see all health boards in Wales making plans to ensure their services are meeting local need now and in the future.

 

The aim is to provide the highest quality healthcare in the most appropriate setting, as close to home as possible, at the time it is needed and with improved outcomes for patients.

 

The health board has been listening and engaging with clinicians and stakeholders about potential service changes since 2010. From December 2011 to the end of April 2012, the Health Board entered an unprecedented listening and engagement exercise with local people, staff and stakeholders to be clear on what services it currently has and what it needed to put in place for the future. 

 

Feedback from this exercise has been used to formulate options outlined in this official consultation period which will run until October 29, 2012.

 

Chairman Chris Martin said: “We want to provide safe, sustainable services of a high quality for the present and future generations of our area. 

 

“We are a person centred organisation and recognise the importance of giving our public, our staff and our stakeholders the chance to influence our thinking at an early stage.We have reflected on the concerns raised during the listening exercise and refined and shaped our proposals in light of what we heard.  We must ensure any proposed new or changed services are fit for purpose and fit for the future, they must be person-centred, high quality, modern, safe, sustainable and affordable.”

 

The consultation proposals suggest solutions to a number of long-term challenges faced by the NHS, including an aging population, difficulties in recruitment and retention of clinical staff and the challenges of providing healthcare in a mainly rural location with urban areas within the resources available.

 

Chief Executive Trevor Purt said: “Some of the changes we hope to make will happen more quickly than others.  We have a three to five year plan - so you will not see changes to some hospital services until we are satisfied that we have the appropriate services available in our communities. 

“I wish to emphasise that your views are essential in what is the most important and significant healthcare consultation process we have seen in Mid and West Wales.

 

“The consultation document forms part of an online resource centre where people can get more information: www.hywelddahb.wales.nhs.uk/Consultation

 

Documents can be requested by:

Emailing:                    hyweldda.engagement@wales.nhs.uk

Visiting our website:  www.hywelddahb.wales.nhs.uk/Consultation

Writing to us at:          FREEPOST HYWEL DDA HEALTH BOARD

Telephoning:              01437 771232 (leave your requests for further information on the answer machine facility)

 

To ensure the consultation document is accessible, the health board is also providing versions in alternative formats, including in Easy Read and a version written for children and young people.

 

Feedback can be provided by:

Completing a hard copy of the questionnaire and returning to Opinion Research Services, Freepost (SS1018), PO Box 530, Swansea, SA1 1ZL

Locality	Time, Date and Location
Carmarthenshire	7-9pm 4 September 2012 Parc Y Scarlets, Llanelli
Ceredigion	7-9pm 5 September 2012 Morlan Centre, Aberystwyth
Pembrokeshire	7-9pm 20 September 2012 Sir Thomas Picton School, Haverfordwest

 

Call in throughout the day to find out more at our drop in sessions:

 

Locality	Time, Date and Location
Amman Gwendraeth	2 -7.30pm 9 October 2012 Pontyberem Memorial Hal
Llanelli	2–7.30pm 2 October 2012 Memorial Hall,  Burry Port
Tywi, Teifi, Taf Myrddin	2–7.30pm 16 October 2012 St Peter's Civic Hall, Carmarthen
North Ceredigion	2–7.30pm 22 October 2012 Holy Trinity Church Hall, Aberaeron
South Ceredigion	2–7.30pm 4 October 2012 The Guildhall, Cardigan
North Pembrokeshire	2-7.30pm 17 October 2012 Fishguard Town Hall, Fishguard
South Pembrokeshire	2–7.30pm 24 October 2012 Kilgetty Community Centre, Kilgetty