Following the announcement today by Hywel Dda Health Board that it is proceeding to public consultation on proposed changes to stroke services at Bronglais, Elin Jones MS calls for the community to work together to reject the plans.
The Health Board is proposing to use a ‘treat and transfer’ model for Bronglais. This would mean centralising some services away from both Bronglais and Glangwili to Llanelli, and would leave us with reduced services at Aberystwyth.
According to the Stroke Association, the quality of stroke care provided by UK hospitals is measured using the SSNAP (Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme) score. Hospitals are graded based from A-E, with A being the highest level of care. Bronglais currently already has a SSNAP score of B, which indicates that the service is providing very good care.
Elin Jones MS said: "I am totally against the treat and transfer proposal for stroke services at Bronglais, and I have made my views known to the Health Board on numerous occasions over the past few months and also to Welsh Government Ministers. I have also visited the stroke unit where I discussed our current provision with staff and patients, and I spoke at a public meeting in Aberystwyth.
This model of care would make it virtually impossible for relatives to visit patients daily or frequently, and we know how important these visits are to aid recovery from stroke. We cannot accept this offer of a treat and transfer model, and I’m working with everyone in the local community in the hope that the Health Board will realise that this model is unacceptable. I urge everyone to respond to the public consultation when it opens, so that we can try to secure the current high-quality services we have in Bronglais, and that the Health Board receives a very clear ‘No’ from the people of Ceredigion.”
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