Shadow Health Minister and Clwyd West AM Darren Millar has expressed disappointment at news that the new neonatal centre for Ysbty Glan Clwyd will not be developed until Autumn 2017 at the earliest.
Following a long-running battle by campaigners, the First Minister announced last year that a new North Wales ‘Sub-Regional Neonatal Intensive Care Centre’ would be developed at Glan Clwyd in Bodelwyydan to serve very small and sick babies in the region. But last month Darren expressed concern at the lack of progress on the new facility.
This week he received a letter from the Health Minister, Mark Drakeford AM, stating it is likely to be up to 3 years before the facility is finally developed.
Darren said:
“This is a further setback for neonatal services in North Wales. I was delighted last May when it was announced that this new centre would be based at Glan Clwyd Hospital and at the time urged Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board to develop the facility as soon as possible. To now be told that it will be Autumn 2017 at the earliest in terms to development is extremely disappointing and concerning.
“We cannot afford to let this project slip, particularly in light of the recent proposals to cut doctor-led maternity services at the hospital. I am concerned that the lack of progress in delivering this new regional baby care centre in Bodelwyddan is a sign that the Board want to abandon plans for the facility. If they were truly committed then surely Glan Clwyd would be the very last place to withdraw services from.
“Both the health board and the Welsh Government need to make good on their promise to develop this new centre as soon as possible, they can not continue letting North Wales families down.”