Preseli Pembrokeshire Paul Davies has once again raised the issue of Withybush hospital services with the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport. Mr Davies called into question the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health review and called for the Welsh Government to undertake more research into the matter.

Mr Davies said, “The Cabinet Secretary is convinced that his centralisation agenda is resulting in safer services based on the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health review. However, I feel that it would be impossible to obtain any meaningful data on perinatal mortality for some time. Quite simply, given its low occurrence, the data would have to be collected over a far greater period of time.”

He added, “That’s why it’s important that the Welsh Government reconsiders its statistical evidence. The Cabinet Secretary keeps pinning the Welsh Government’s decision on this matter down to the RCPCH review and that review’s conclusions are questionable. Of course, if the Cabinet Secretary thinks I’ll stop asking questions, then he’s sorely mistaken. I will keep raising this matter with the Welsh Government whenever I can until the special care baby unit and full-time paediatric services are returned to Withybush hospital.