UNISON Cymru/Wales has submitted a detailed response to the proposed changes in health care delivery in the area of the South Wales health board.
UNISON represents over 35,000 members in the NHS in Wales, who work in various areas including community services, hospitals, acute treatment centres and the ambulance services.
UNISON shares the NHS objective of securing safe and sustainable services in the Welsh NHS.
Key points in the response include:
- improving workforce planning arrangements to ease recruitment pressures;
- the requirement of further evidence on the proposals being made for emergency medicine;
- consider the options for medical expertise to travel between sites in more detail rather than focussing on the assumption that the patient must travel to the clinical specialism;
- reassurance that the public will understand how they will be expected to access different types of services;
- key questions regarding the availability of already limited public funds;
- clarification of timescales.
UNISON Cymru/Wales head of health Dawn Bowden said: “UNISON hopes that there will be an ongoing dialogue about the future of services being undertaken in the South Wales area.
“It is important to our members that we work to secure safe and sustainable health services for the future.”
And Ms Bowden continued: ”The NHS Wales has a strong place in people’s hearts and minds and stirs up a lot of emotion.
“It is essential that the political leadership, the management, the staff working in the NHS, the patients and the public are prepared to confront the scale of the challenge facing the NHS Wales.
“We believe that, at this stage, more evidence, discussion and reassurance are required in order to ensure that we have a strong and efficient NHS for today and for future generations.”
