Aneurin Bevan tribute criticised

Aneurin Bevan was the local MP between 1929 and 1960 Bevan's memory lives in home town

Plans to rename Gwent Healthcare NHS Trust after NHS founder Aneurin Bevan have been criticised as being a "PR exercise" and a waste of public money.

The Welsh Assembly Government has consulted on the proposals to honour Bevan for the NHS 60th anniversary.

The local health watchdog said changing logos could cost £200,000, which it could not support when money was tight.

Tory AM William Graham said it would not improve services while Lib Dem AM Mike German called it a "distraction".

Health minister Edwina Hart launched a consultation into the proposal to celebrate Bevan - who was from Tredegar and was MP for Ebbw Vale, both in the Gwent Healthcare NHS Trust area.

The assembly government said the minister would consider the responses from the consultation, which ended on Monday, before making any decision.

But the proposal has been met by protests.

Any consultation will highlight the overwhelming opinion that this would have no benefit what so ever on improving services or patient care William Graham AM

Gwent Community Health Council, the watchdog for the NHS in the area, which took part in the consultation, said its members had voted overwhelmingly against the idea.

"We haven't supported the proposal," said Catherine O'Sullivan, the chief officer, who estimated it could cost up to £200,000 to change logos across the trust.

"It's not that great in the scheme of things but when money is so tight we would prefer to see it spent on something Aneurin Bevan would actually appreciate, like supporting services, rather than a name.

"It should be about the spirit of the man and his vision."

She also said members believed the trust should be identified by the area it represents.

They also felt there could be confusion with the new hospital being built in Ebbw Vale - within the trust's area - which is to be named Ysbyty Aneurin Bevan.

Mr Graham, AM for South Wales East, said the money should be spent on patient care.

A name change could see signs being switched at the Royal Gwent Hospital

"Any consultation will highlight the overwhelming opinion that this would have no benefit what so ever on improving services or patient care," he said.

"It is so evident that this is a politically-motivated PR exercise, funded from the 'public purse' and has nothing to do with making the NHS more efficient."

"Labour politicians need to ask themselves what would Bevan want; his name on a few placards and hundreds of sheets of headed notepaper or patient services receiving all the available funding?"

"To suggest this renaming at a time when the NHS locally is struggling to cope with increasing demand and pressurised into making further savings is an act of folly."

Mr German, leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats and also an AM for South Wales East, said the money would be better spent on more nurses.

"When we changed the logo of Cardiff council in the late '80s that cost £150,000. The money here could be used better," he said.

"There's no purpose behind it. I support naming the new Ebbw Vale hospital Ysbyty Aneurin Bevan because that is new and it won't cost anything more. This is just a distraction from what needs to be done in the NHS.

"This doesn't actually help the health service and I think it's basically (Labour) saying 'weren't we good in the past?' It has a glory-type purpose."

The assembly government confirmed it had consulted with Gwent Healthcare NHS Trusts and other health organisations in the area to mark the 60th anniversary of the NHS and its founder.

A spokesman said: "The Health Minister Edwina Hart will carefully consider responses before making a final decision."