Welsh Conservatives have labelled a Labour government statement on inadequate facilities at Glangwili ‘shameful’.

Earlier this week a report by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health concluded that the hospital’s labour unit was ‘not fit for purpose’.

The conclusion formed part of the report’s wider scrutiny of Labour’s NHS reorganisation in west Wales, including significant changes at Withybush, where care for the most premature and sick babies has been moved to Glangwili.

In a ministerial statement published today, Labour’s health minister says a capital business case for improvements to the hospital’s estate is not expected until next year.

His response to the report largely ignores the state of facilities at the hospital and focuses instead on a conclusion he claims shows ‘fears of the public about service safety were largely unfounded’.

Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Health, Darren Millar AM, said:

“This shameful response completely ignores the significant problems at Glangwili’s labour unit.

“The report can’t be any clearer: the ward’s not fit for purpose. Improvements are required now – not next year or the year after.

“Mums have been wrenched from Withybush and forced to travel to a hospital that has inadequate facilities. That’s unfair, unnecessary and potentially dangerous.

"The ward should have been upgraded prior to taking in extra patients."

Assembly Member for Preseli Pembrokeshire, Paul Davies, recently visited Glangwili Hospital and raised concerns over the facilities available to staff and patients.

He said:

“Despite the hard work of staff, the services are inadequate; it’s that simple”

“Not only are mums being forced to travel further for the treatment required, they’re being forced into a unit that’s not fit for purpose.

“Labour’s only answer is to completely dismiss the justified fears of communities.

“Enough is enough. This arrogance can’t continue and the views of those driven away from Withybush must be heard.

“We’re the only party listening and I will continue to fight passionately for the reintroduction of the special care baby unit at Withybush.”

Assembly Member for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, Angela Burns AM, said:

“Glangwili’s labour ward doesn’t have the facilities to handle the increase in admissions.

“The changes implemented by the Health Board promised state of the art midwifery led units and an outstanding SCBU and labour ward in Glangwili.

“When I visited tiles were hanging off the ceiling and the ward was dark and tired. It must be very demoralising for mums-to-be, let alone the staff who have to work there.

“Rather than saying everything is rosy in the garden, when it’s not, I wish Labour’s minister would step up and accept people deserve better.

“Why wait for so long before improving services? It seems the only paint brush the Minister is interested in - is a whitewash.”