MEETING IN PONTYPRIDD PACKED WITH HEALTH WORKERS AND LOCALS DEMANDS NO A&E DOWNGRADING AND CALLS FOR LOBBY OF WELSH GOVERNMENT NEXT WEDNESDAY AT NOON
FIGHT TO SAVE EMERGENCY CARE EXPOSES ANGER AT COMMUNITIES BEING ‘LEFT BEHIND’
FIRST MINISTER DRAKEFORD’S CALL FOR POLITICIANS TO STAY OUT OF DEBATE SPARKS BACKLASH
By Mark S Redfern @genericredfern
Cover image courtesy Heledd Fychan
AROUND 80 PEOPLE PACKED INTO A MEETING ON THURSDAY NIGHT TO DISCUSS HOW THEY CAN STOP THE CLOSURE OF THEIR LOCAL ACCIDENT AND EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT.
Health workers, local people, campaigners and politicians filled Clwb Y Bont in Pontypridd to express their anger and frustration at what they see as an unacceptable attack on their community.
By the end of the meeting, a mass demonstration outside the Welsh Assembly in Cardiff Bay had been called for next Wednesday at 12.30pm, where campaigners say the issue will be discussed by Assembly Members.
It had been called following uproar over plans to downgrade the A&E department at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital in Ynysymaerdy, Rhondda Cynon Taf.
The proposals have sparked a furious backlash. A protest of 200 was held at short notice last Thursday, meetings have been flooded with locals angry about the impact of any closure and demanding answers. In a passionate speech at a Q&A with health bosses last week, one nurse who works on the A&E ward slammed the idea that the department could shut overnight, saying the impact on patients would mean that ‘they’ll die.’
Separately, 18,000 people have joined a Facebook group in just over a week and over 10,000 have signed a petition to Welsh Government demanding they step in to stop the closure.
In a sign of the growing mood for action, a group of health workers from the hospital told the meeting on Thursday that there was a change of mood among staff and they were determined to fight for the future of the NHS.
Sue Prior got involved in the campaign because she feels “absolutely incensed” at the “ridiculous proposal” to downgrade the A&E
She was elected as secretary of the campaign at the meeting and speaking afterwards, said the atmosphere was “Positive, mixed with pure anger and frustration.”
After this, she posted a message to the group asking if people would nominate themselves to be local representatives to form a network. “One leader from each village,” as she put it.
Within two hours the post had 115 comments, with people offering to be a lead contact for places form Talbot Green, Llantwit Fadre, Rhydfelin, Pontyclun, Church village, Ton Teg, Tonypandy, Trehafod, Taffs Well and many, many more. Within less than two weeks, the campaign now has a real base which is being propelled by grassroots activity.
This is tapping into a wider political anger about the way Valleys communities have suffered for generations with cuts and closures. On Wednesday, a member of the group simply posted “Industry closed, police stations closed, libraries closed, day centres closed and now the A&E. What else can we lose in our part of Wales?”
It was followed by several comments adding other services or places that have been lost. This is not a new realisation in Wales but it is finding new expression in this campaign and is already making huge political waves in Cardiff Bay.
Assembly Members are struggling to keep up with the pace of the campaign. Local AM Mick Antoniw attended the meeting on Thursday, as did local Plaid Councillor Helledd Fychan.
Leanne Wood AM has also raised the issue several times in The Senedd and held meetings with locals and health officials. Many are keen to keep the campaign non party political but the support of AMs and MPs shows how potent the issue is.
Labour politicians know they have to tread carefully, however, with many believing they could lose their seats if services like the A&E dept are lost. The party have responsibility for health in Wales and the minister in charge, Vaughan Gething, has refused to engage with local people. On Monday, First Minister Mark Drakeford enraged many by saying that politicians should stay out of the the debate and allow health board chiefs to make decisions over the provision of emergency health care.
This prompted a furious backlash online. One post referring to his comments generated over 150 negative responses, with many simply saying the comments were ‘a disgrace’ and ‘shame on you’. Other figures in Welsh Labour also hit back at the First Minister.
One woman who spoke at the meeting on Thursday told the room that “It’s the Welsh Government people we have to be targeting, end of story! If you’re a politician, if you’re a backbencher you have a right to fight for your community. You knew this was on the cards ….you fight for our rights because that is what you’re there for, or don’t stand at all!”
Len Arthur, who helped initiate the group and was last night elected chair, was keen to stress the fact that budget cuts from Westminster – started under the Tory/Lib Dem coalition – are having a devastating impact on the Welsh NHS and public services in general.
Research done by People’s Assembly Wales shows that a staggering £3.5bn has been cut from the Welsh budget by Westminster since 2010. But Len and others point out that the Labour run administration in Cardiff has failed both in highlighting this and providing any serious resistance to the UK Tory government.
“We want the AM’s and the MP’s to put their money where their mouths are.” Sue said of the politicians who are pledging to help the campaign. .”People are absolutely apoplectic with rage regarding the First Minister and the Health Minister. They want them gone. This is one step too far!”
The campaign is still in its early stages but has already made a huge impact on the community and Welsh Politics. If it is successful, it will provide a blueprint for how communities and workers can start to turn back the tide of cuts that has swept over places like The Rhondda for years.
“I think we will win,” Sue told us, “But it will be a hell of a fight we need to put up.”
