Hospital shake-up out to public

It is proposed to concentrate more services at three general hospitals

A public consultation is launched on Monday over proposals to shake up the major hospital services in north Wales.

The proposals unveiled last month could include the closure of two hospitals - Abergele and HM Stanley at St Asaph.

Campaigners at Abergele are gearing up to fight any closure threat.

Under the new proposals specialist skills would be grouped together at the three general hospitals at Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor, Glan Clwyd in Bodelwyddan and Wrexham Maelor.

The proposals also recommend changes at Llandudno Hospital, where it would lose its three coronary beds and its breast cancer services would transfer elsewhere.

The 12-week consultation period will include a series of local public meetings and exhibitions.

The consultation document Designed for North Wales sets out changes to take place over the next five to 10 years.

SUMMARY PLANS Acute services move from Llandudno Orthopaedic cases move from Abergele to Glan Clwyd Ophthalmology from HM Stanley to Glan Clwyd Stroke rehab from HM Stanley to more suitable site Further discussion on future of hospitals, may include closure

Abergele hospital was originally built by the people of Manchester for children from the city who suffered from tuberculosis (TB).

At the time there was no know treatment for the disease and some children spent many years at Abergele. One of them Jean Daniel spent seven years of her childhood at the hospital.

Mrs Daniel, who is part of a group of former patients calling themselves the Abergeleians, now lives in the area and is committed to saving the hospital.

"They've spent money on a new car park, there are two operating theatre's there, I can't see why they would want to close it," she said.

The Abergeleians fought a similar battle to save the hospital 10 years ago, said Mrs Daniel, and they are set to do the same thing again.

"This hospital serves a vital need in the community, because it deals with bone problems it's mainly senior citizens who go there.

"It's early days but we're working now to get people motivated , we need to get people vocal about the need to save the hospital, if we get enough opposition they (the health board) will have to listen to us," she added.

The review is linked to an ageing population and to fewer patients needing hospital treatment. The health boards see it as a "bold vision" for the future.

"We need to start planning for a future that will see the highest standards of medical care being provided for the people of north Wales", said Trefor Jones, chair of the review project board.

Abergele Hospital has 49 beds and includes orthopaedic services and chest medicine, with an estimated £4.4m repair and maintenance bill.

Services at the 22-bed HM Stanley unit include stroke, outpatients and rehabilitation care for the elderly.