00:00Hello, I'm Sandra Jervis, the Lead Candidate for the Welsh Liberal Democrats here in Cairdegion, Pembroke.
00:05Today I'm here in St David's in Pembrokeshire to highlight just how Vysolvid Bush Hospital
00:11is to the communities here and across to the wider region. As my party's health services person,
00:17I'm deeply concerned by the recent decision made by Haldar University Health Board.
00:22Many of you will have now heard that they intend to remove emergency surgical procedures
00:26from the Degroon Institute. This decision, followed by the lack of action from the Welsh Government,
00:33shows just how out of touch that they have become with reality in Scotland or Wales.
00:38For people living here, healthcare is not about convenience, it is about distance, time and
00:44ultimate survival. We're now heading from St David's to Wysolvid Bush Hospital, a journey of around 16
00:52miles, takes approximately 30 minutes, but if you required emergency surgery under the new plans,
00:59you would end up instead being taken to Glangwilly Hospital, which is nearly 48 miles away, a journey
01:05of around an hour and 15 minutes, and that's in good conditions. If you add traffic, poor weather,
01:12tourist season congestion, that time increases significantly. When someone needs emergency
01:17surgery, every minute counts. These delays are not just inconvenient, they're dangerous,
01:22and it's unacceptable, and it will risk costing lives.
01:28Historic data from 2012-13 showed an average of 1.7 emergency operations at Wimbush per day,
01:35that's roughly 620 people every year. Even using Welsh Labour's own figures of five patients per week,
01:43that still means around 260 people annually requiring emergency surgery. These are not statistics,
01:50these are neighbours, families and loved ones. The Welsh Government may try to dismiss these numbers,
01:57but I won't. We must stand up to both the Welsh Government and to the Health Board and stop them
02:02gambling with people safely. Beyond everyday accidents, Pembrokeshire has unique risks that make local
02:08emergency care essential. The county is home to Valero refinery, two liquefied natural gas terminals,
02:16a vast and busy coastline, countless farms operating heavy machinery, one of the world's largest natural
02:22harbours, and in 2024 alone, 283 road accidents happened, resulting in four fatalities. This is not
02:31a low risk area. This is a region that needs fast local emergency care.
02:38Here we are at Glangwilly Hospital, the site where emergency surgeries would be centralised
02:43under these proposals. The staff here work incredibly hard, and this is not about them.
02:48They already provide an outstanding care under immense pressure, but Glangwilly is already serving
02:53a large population across West Wales. Adding hundreds more emergency cases each year will place an
02:59even greater strain on your already stretched system. Longer waits, increased pressure on staff,
03:04and greater risks to the patients. Centralising services might look efficient on paper in cardic
03:10wardrooms, but here on the ground it means longer journeys, delayed treatment, more anxiety for the
03:16parents involved. Rural communities deserve equal access to healthcare, not second-class services because
03:23of where they live. People in Pembrokeshire pay their taxes just like everyone else. They deserve safe,
03:28local emergency care when they need it most. I will continue fighting to protect all services at
03:35Witherbush and Voltaised Institutes and ensure an adequate investment for both, because healthcare
03:40decisions should be made around the patients and not the post-grading applications.
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