SOSPPAN takes the fight for Prince Philip Hospital’s MIU to the Senedd

Save Our Services Prince Philip Action Network committee members say they are encouraged after constructive talks were held with the chair of the Senedd’s Petitions Committee Carolyn Thomas MS over their calls for the immediate reopening of the MIU during the nights.

The overnight doctor-led service, which treated over 6,000 patients between 8pm and 8am over the last 12 months for which figures were recorded, was axed by Hywel Dda Health Board on November 1.

SOSPPAN amassed nearly 15,000 petition signatures in a matter of weeks urging a U-turn by the Hywel Dda University Health Board, despite health chiefs maintaining their decision was made on safety grounds.

Campaigners say the strength of public feeling was immense and a ‘huge public vote of faith in the vital and sometimes lifesaving work of the wonderful nurses and doctors staffing the MIU overnight.’

That public petition and a new one – signed by almost all Llanelli Town, Llanelli Rural and Llannon community councillors, representing over 32,000 electors – will now be debated by the Senedd’s Petitions Committee as a matter of urgency.

SOSPPAN chair cllr Deryk Cundy said he was ‘heartened’ that the ‘genuine concerns of the people of Llanelli would now be heard.’

‘There are very real fears that lives will be lost unless the MIU is reinstated urgently,’ he said.

‘We have taken our concerns, fears and arguments to the seat of power in Cardiff and had a very positive and sympathetic hearing from the chair of the Petitions Committee.

‘We are pleased and encouraged the matter will be considered by the committee itself and want the Petitions Committee to demand a debate in the Senedd where all MS’s will be able to see the flaws in Hywel Dda’s argument and the potential jeopardy the Llanelli public have been put in by the management cutting overnight MIU cover.’

SOSPPAN vice-chair cllr Suzy Curry said: ‘When the lifesaving work of the Minor Injuries Unit – day and night – is highlighted at a national level it would beggar belief if the overnight MIU service is not saved and reinstated immediately.

‘The people of Llanelli need and deserve nothing less. SOSPPAN, politicians of all parties, and the public are wholeheartedly behind saving this crucial service.

‘If the service is not saved the price will be paid in the loss of people’s lives.

‘It is official Welsh Government policy to site health services as close to the public as possible.

‘Removing overnight MIU cover at Prince Philip Hospital means the majority of patients face journeys to Morriston Hospital, Swansea, or Glangwili Hospital, in Carmarthen, where they will often face long delays before being treated.’

SOSPPAN press officer cllr Shaun Greaney said: I believe the decision is dangerous and detrimental to the safety of Llanelli people.

‘We have discovered that doctor vacancies at the MIU for night-time cover have not been sufficiently well advertised, or even not advertised at all.

‘It seems to me like total mismanagement. If it was a private business it would go bust. What kind of health service removes easy access from its public?

‘The service should be improved, not downgraded like this.

‘Health chiefs have also pointedly refused to reassure us that the MIU will return as a doctor-led unit at the end of this temporary overnight shutdown.

‘We fear that unless the Welsh Government steps in, Hywel Dda health chiefs will axe the overnight service permanently.

‘It’s a matter of life or death.’

SOSSPAN secretary, cllr John Prosser, wrote this accompanying letter – on behalf of the committee and the signatories – with the two petitions:

‘This petition, signed by councillors from Llanelli Town, Llanelli Rural, and Llannon Councils, who collectively represent approximately 32,000 Llanelli residents urges the Welsh Government to promptly address the recent decision by Hywel Dda University Health Board to close the Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) at Prince Philip Hospital, Llanelli, during nighttime hours.

‘We as local representatives are calling for an immediate reopening of the unit with full doctor provision, expressing deep concern over the impacts of the six-month closure, which was decided without adequate public consultation.

‘The councillors argue that the closure compromises the health and safety of Llanelli residents, who rely on timely access to urgent care, especially during emergencies.

‘Local leaders view the MIU as a crucial component of Prince Philip Hospital’s service provision and an asset to the community’s well-being.

‘By advocating for its immediate reopening, they aim to ensure that all residents have access to safe, prompt healthcare, particularly at night.

‘By appealing directly to the Welsh Government, we as councillors hope to prompt an intervention that reopens the MIU and restores its services immediately. This collective action emphasises the importance of considering local voices in healthcare decisions, ensuring that vital medical services like the MIU are accessible, responsive, and inclusive for all residents.’