Preseli Pembrokeshire AM Paul Davies has taken part in a Welsh Conservative debate on Welsh hospital closures and downgrading in the Assembly Chamber. Mr Davies raised the removal of services from Withybush hospital, including the Welsh Labour Government’s decision to relocate the Special Care Baby Unit to Glagwili hospital.

Following the debate Mr Davies said, “I was pleased to speak up for the retention of services at Withybush hospital. The people of Pembrokeshire should not have to travel further for life-saving care and core emergency services. It’s shameful that the Health Minister has chosen to close the Special Care Baby Unit at Withybush – and since then we’ve seen the downgrading of paediatric services and concerns over the future of the A and E department as well.”

He added “The Welsh Labour Government need to recognise that delivering health services in rural areas is very different from delivering health services in urban areas and that a one-size-fits-all approach simply does not work. The centralisation of services to Glangwili will only make the remaining services at our local hospital unsustainable in the future and I will continue to call on the Minister to reverse his decision.”