A petition opposing plans to downgrade services at Withybush hospital has been discussed by the Assembly’s Petitions Committee. A request for an Assembly debate on the petition, which gathered over 40,000 signatures, will now be sent to the Business Committee in order to schedule the debate for some time during the next Assembly term.

Commenting on the petition’s progress, local Assembly Member Paul Davies said, “I welcome the fact that the petition is one step closer to being debated in the Assembly Chamber. I myself have brought forward several debates on the future of health services at Withybush hospital and I wholeheartedly support this petition. Once the debate has been scheduled, I will of course, take part and make it absolutely clear once again that I do not support Hywel Dda Health Board’s plan to centralise and downgrade services in Pembrokeshire.”