THE OVERSIGHT that left Wales’ newest hospital operating without full planning permission shows a “frightening” lack of judgement from health bosses, an MP has said.
The Grange University Hospital in Llanfrechfa, Cwmbran, only had permission to treat A&E patients who had been brought in by ambulance or transferred from another hospital.
The Aneurin Bevan University Health Board (ABUHB) has now been given permission to vary the permission so the A&E department can treat “walk-in” patients.
Monmouth MP David Davies will ask ABUHB for greater clarity on their official walk-in patients policy, saying the planning oversight "beggars' belief".
“The Grange only treats patients with a life-threatening illness or serious injury and when I officially visited, I was told they absolutely would not take walk-ins,” Mr Davies said.
“I have been contacted by a local consultant who says they do accept walk-ins, however, and people can self-refer. I will therefore write to the health board to get full clarity and ask what the official policy is.
“That said, I remain extremely concerned about the way services are provided. By shutting the minor injury unit in Abergavenny overnight and removing an easily accessible service for residents living in north Monmouthshire and south Powys, the health board instead wants people to travel after 1:00am to the minor injury unit at the Royal Gwent Hospital.
Residents travelling to Newport via the A4042 would “ironically” pass the Grange hospital and mistakenly seek treatment there, he said.
“The health board has got this all wrong. It shows a lack of judgement and forward planning strategies.”
With an eight-week period of consultation on the future of minor injury provision under way, Mr Davies is encouraging residents to have their say and sign the Senedd petition to "save overnight minor injuries provision" at Nevill Hall.
“If ever there was a reason to fight against the further stripping back of local services, this is it and I would urge as many people as possible to make their voices heard,” said the Tory MP.
Mr Davies will attend the public engagement session at Abergavenny Market on Friday, September 29.
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