A public meeting has been organised by campaigners fighting to stop ‘unacceptable’ plans to downgrade of stroke services at Bronglais Hospital in Aberystwyth.

A Hywel Dda University Health Board meeting on Thursday, 29 May voted to sign off on beginning a consultation on a new Clinical Services Plan.

The plan includes turning Bronglais’ stroke unit into a ‘Treat and Transfer’ Unit, a move that has been greeted with uproar by local politicians and residents and led to the formation of a residents’ group in a bid to put pressure on the health board to retain services at the Aberystwyth hospital.

In response, a newly formed group, Protect Bronglais Services, is to hold a public meeting at the Great Hall on Friday, 20 June at 7pm.

Ceredigion MS, Elin Jones, said: “Some of us remember the protest meetings and marches over 20 years ago regarding proposals to downgrade maternity services, urgent 24/7 surgery and the A&E at Bronglais at the time.

“There was a huge public outcry against the proposals and in the end the health board had to drop the plans.

“We need to see the same response again and get the same outcome. To do this we all need to work together and speak with one voice.

“It’s possible this Great Hall meeting could be the biggest ever protest meeting in Aberystwyth.

“Local people have been astounded that there is a real possibility of transferring the Bronglais stroke service to Llanelli over 1 hr 45 mins away, door to door.

“I’m pleased that the newly-formed Bronglais protest group has organised such a large hall for the meeting. Let’s fill the Great Hall so that the voice of mid Wales is heard loud and clear - think again Hywel Dda!”

Bronglais Hospital Protest outside the Morlan centre. APJ10302 Pic 1, 1-3-12 Ref Antony, Photo Arvid Parry Jones.
Residents came out in force in 2012 to fight plans to downgrade Bronglais and campaigners want mid Wales to show the health board the strength of feeling again (Cambrian News)

Lisa Francis, Chair of Protect Bronglais Services, said: “Last January the Health Board’s CEO told Protect Bronglais Services that these plans were ‘incomplete’.

“As was recently pointed out by the Cambrian News, according to the Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme (SSNAP), Bronglais Hospital’s Stroke Unit is the best performing of all of the stroke units in the Hywel Dda area. So why the change?

“So, people of Mid Wales, Protect Bronglais Services urges you to please respond in your droves to this Consultation!

“This is our Bronglais - our ‘Calon y Canolbarth’!

“We cannot afford to lose any further services from this geographically significant hospital.

“Protect Bronglais Services needs your support at our next public meeting.

Photo Code DPJ13J64 Photo Arwyn Parry Jones 13July06 Ref Partick; Bronglais Hospital Protest Rally Starting @ Aber Castle Gorsedd Site - Terminating @ the New Penglais Entrance of Bronglais Hospital... Crowd Pic of Protestors.... Great Darkgate Street...
Again in 2006, protestors filled Great Darkgate Street fighting to protect services (Cambrian News)

“We hope that the Health Board will be in attendance (they’ve been invited), and we are expecting many Mid Wales elected representatives to be there as well.

“In the meantime, please continue to fill in our Patient Travel Surveys and Patient Stories (this can be done anonymously) on our website, www.protectbronglais.com”

The consultation will run until 31 August.

The Health Board said it “will consider what they have heard in consultation, as well as supporting evidence and data.”

The results of the consultation are due to be discussed at the Health Board meeting in November.