AFTER stormy scenes at the previous week’s public meeting in Pembroke Dock, the Board changed its approach at Letterston on Tuesday (Jan 27).

David Williams of Pembrokeshire Health Concern told The Herald: “It was a pleasant surprise to see Hywel Dda had taken into account public feelings at last meeting in Pembroke Dock with no presentation screens in sight and chairs arranged in circle with open centre. After around 10-15 minutes of introduction by Hywel Dda the meeting went straight into questions & discussions so thank you Hywel Dda for at least taking notice of public on this. There was a different atmosphere with public being controlled and polite and less of a sense of being talked down to even if they did not agree with a lot of answers.”

While the questions were much the same as at Pembroke Dock, the Board representatives were noticeably less combative than at the previous meeting.

David Williams said: “The Board referred to training issues and said they had to put quality & safety first. However, it was pointed out that Withybush had an excellent quality and safety record when reconfiguration first proposed – both being in top 40 hospitals in UK and higher-rated than Glangwili. That position changed only when the Board embarked on reconfiguration. At the meeting, a point was made that you could have the highest quality & safety in country but that was of no use if that quality and safety were not accessible in time.”

Expressing disappointment at the fact so few councillors had shown an interest in the events, David singled out Wiston representative David Howlett, who attended and asked a question.

Sue Kenny presented Hywel Dda and the CHC with typed copies of patients’ experiences taken from the Save Essential Services and SWAT Facebook pages. Both bodies representatives promised to read them and take them into account.

Striking a puzzled note, David said: “In a conversation after the meeting with Paul Hawkins (Board Operations Director) I mentioned that Withybush looked deserted last Saturday. In reply, he said: ‘I’ve not been there so you would know better than me’. I hope he meant he had not been there on a Saturday as he said when appointed he was going to visit every hospital in area; but that was not impression I had.”

AFTER stormy scenes at the previous week’s public meeting in Pembroke Dock, the Board changed its approach at Letterston on Tuesday (Jan 27).

David Williams of Pembrokeshire Health Concern told The Herald: “It was a pleasant surprise to see Hywel Dda had taken into account public feelings at last meeting in Pembroke Dock with no presentation screens in sight and chairs arranged in circle with open centre. After around 10-15 minutes of introduction by Hywel Dda the meeting went straight into questions & discussions so thank you Hywel Dda for at least taking notice of public on this. There was a different atmosphere with public being controlled and polite and less of a sense of being talked down to even if they did not agree with a lot of answers.”

While the questions were much the same as at Pembroke Dock, the Board representatives were noticeably less combative than at the previous meeting.

David Williams said: “The Board referred to training issues and said they had to put quality & safety first. However, it was pointed out that Withybush had an excellent quality and safety record when reconfiguration first proposed – both being in top 40 hospitals in UK and higher-rated than Glangwili. That position changed only when the Board embarked on reconfiguration. At the meeting, a point was made that you could have the highest quality & safety in country but that was of no use if that quality and safety were not accessible in time.”

Expressing disappointment at the fact so few councillors had shown an interest in the events, David singled out Wiston representative David Howlett, who attended and asked a question.

Sue Kenny presented Hywel Dda and the CHC with typed copies of patients’ experiences taken from the Save Essential Services and SWAT Facebook pages. Both bodies representatives promised to read them and take them into account.

Striking a puzzled note, David said: “In a conversation after the meeting with Paul Hawkins (Board Operations Director) I mentioned that Withybush looked deserted last Saturday. In reply, he said: ‘I’ve not been there so you would know better than me’. I hope he meant he had not been there on a Saturday as he said when appointed he was going to visit every hospital in area; but that was not impression I had.”