Professional bodies unite to voice concerns over reconfiguration plans in North Wales

Published: 31 January 2013

Professional bodies in Wales unite to oppose plans to move neonatal services from North Wales

Following the announcement of the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board’s final decision on its reconfiguration plans, the Royal College of Midwives Wales, the British Medical Association Wales and the Royal College of Nursing Wales held a press conference today to share their concerns about plans to move neonatal services from North Wales to England.

Neonatal care across Wales has been an area of specific concern to all three organisations. Rather than addressing the development needs of the service in North Wales Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board has chosen to ignore the clear clinical preference and put forward a proposal to simply outsource all longer term neonatal intensive care to Arrowe Park Hospital on the Wirral.

Removing this level of neonatal care from North Wales to England is a financial risk to NHS Wales. Once the service is removed it will be extremely difficult if not impossible to resurrect it. This means that the provider of the service based in the health market economy of England is in a very powerful position indeed in setting prices. It is important that the provision of neonatal services is viewed from an all Wales perspective and not just within the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. The comprehensive neonatal services based in North Wales remain a viable and sustainable option.

Tina Donnelly TD DL, Director of the Royal College of Nursing in Wales, said: ‘The health minister and the Community Health Council need to listen to the people who are providing this service. From information from our members we are seeing insufficient accurate clinical data to move services out of Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board. As yet no case has been made to move services to Arrowe Park. We are asking for the health board to reverse their decision. We would expect the Health Minister to step in and take the sensible approach

Dr. Richard Lewis, Secretary of the British Medical Association in Wales, said: “We are asking the Health Board to reverse its decision. There is no reason why these services cannot be sustainable and viable in North Wales.  We don’t feel the funding issues stack up. Services in North Wales are not inferior; they are of the very highest standard.”

Helen Rogers, Director of the Royal College of Midwives Wales, said: “Our members feel their concerns are not being listened to.  There are more questions than answers at the moment. When transferring services from one country to another there is a big impact on women and their families. We are willing to take this to the health minister.
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