Surgeon calls for ward assurances

The 28-bed general surgery ward closed over the festive period

A senior surgeon wants to be reassured a surgical ward at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital at Llantrisant will not close.

Mike Lewis, a consultant vascular and general surgeon, says he was told the 28-bed ward was to close indefinitely due to the trust's financial problems.

He described such a decision as "dangerous and life threatening".

Cwm Taf NHS Trust confirmed some ward areas had been closed over the festive season but Ward One would reopen due to a rise in the cases needing treatment.

Mike Lewis said he was "delighted" by the news, describing the move as a "major change in policy" and "a victory for common sense".

He had earlier claimed two senior trust managers had told him Ward One, which treats vascular and cancer patients, was to shut for at least six months.

He told BBC Radio Wales he was told the decision to shut the ward was in the context of a need to find £7m from the trust's budget.

Mr Lewis, who has been a consultant for 25 years, said he would now seek assurances the ward will remain open in the long term.

Cwm Taf NHS Trust said the ward would be fully open on Tuesday.

Deputy chief executive and director of strategy Paul Hollard said: "We were going to close both the Royal Glamorgan and Prince Charles Hospital's surgical wards, but because we had to admit more people than we thought we would, we decided against it.

"Neither of the wards have ever been closed, we got down to something like 16 patients in the Royal Glamorgan but more arrived.

"All the beds will be open tomorrow morning in both wards. We have had problems staffing the wards because of staff illness but there will be enough staff on tomorrow."