My letter to Journal and Star editors today
Letter submitted to the editors of the Llanelli Star and Carmarthen Journal today -
The Llanelli Star must be praised for fighting the good fight in the bid to preserve services at Llanelli’s Prince Philip Hospital.
The coverage of the debate has been comprehensive and fair.
The editor will forgive me for making an observation (rather than a complaint): perhaps more focus could be placed on the members of the Hywel Dda Health Board – photos, pen pictures and perhaps home phone numbers might be useful.
The membership of the ‘independent’ part of the health board contains a fairly predictable mix of ‘time-served’ civil and public servants who (one suspects) receive compensation for duties which more than covers out-of-pocket expenses.
Only one of the ‘independents’ has any sort of real affinity with Llanelli, the vice-chair Sian Marie James. It is a pity that in much of the debate we don’t seem to have heard many public statements from the vice-chair on the debate.
A read through the biographies of the ‘executive’ directors will shed some lights on how much ‘local knowledge’ they have of ‘our patch’.
To read the CVs is to take something of a tour of the UK and the rest of the world – Rochdale, Liverpool, Australia and New Zealand, Southampton, The Wirral, Greater Manchester . . .
They are a cosmopolitan lot.
One must be careful not to knock their experience (as they probably have enough to tick the boxes for their various roles), but if you are looking for hints of empathy with the plight of the people of Felinfoel, Morfa and Pwll, you will be In the proverbial haystack . . . with dark glasses and a hood over your head.
Interestingly, the director of public health, Teresa Owen, is listed as living in Abergele, which (the last time I checked my atlas) is near the North Wales coast.
Her interests include walking, which probably means she can sympathise with stranded patients who may be forced to make the long walk home (in the dark and the wind and the rain) from Glangwili Hospital in Carmarthen.
Her other interests include Bee Gees music.
Taking liberties with Bee Gees hits, one wonders if she enjoys the following renamed songs?
Staying Alive (not easy in Llanelli), Llanelli A&E Disaster 2013, I’ve gotta get a message to you (but, we’re Hywel Dda and we won’t listen); How can you mend a broken heart (in Llanelli) and, finally, Tragedy and You Win Again.
But (and a big but): Is the debate over A&E in Llanelli over?
Well, any good music fan should know: it ain’t over until the fat lady sings!
Robert Lloyd
84 New Road, Llanelli, SA15 3DT
The Llanelli Star must be praised for fighting the good fight in the bid to preserve services at Llanelli’s Prince Philip Hospital.
The coverage of the debate has been comprehensive and fair.
The editor will forgive me for making an observation (rather than a complaint): perhaps more focus could be placed on the members of the Hywel Dda Health Board – photos, pen pictures and perhaps home phone numbers might be useful.
The membership of the ‘independent’ part of the health board contains a fairly predictable mix of ‘time-served’ civil and public servants who (one suspects) receive compensation for duties which more than covers out-of-pocket expenses.
Only one of the ‘independents’ has any sort of real affinity with Llanelli, the vice-chair Sian Marie James. It is a pity that in much of the debate we don’t seem to have heard many public statements from the vice-chair on the debate.
A read through the biographies of the ‘executive’ directors will shed some lights on how much ‘local knowledge’ they have of ‘our patch’.
To read the CVs is to take something of a tour of the UK and the rest of the world – Rochdale, Liverpool, Australia and New Zealand, Southampton, The Wirral, Greater Manchester . . .
They are a cosmopolitan lot.
One must be careful not to knock their experience (as they probably have enough to tick the boxes for their various roles), but if you are looking for hints of empathy with the plight of the people of Felinfoel, Morfa and Pwll, you will be In the proverbial haystack . . . with dark glasses and a hood over your head.
Interestingly, the director of public health, Teresa Owen, is listed as living in Abergele, which (the last time I checked my atlas) is near the North Wales coast.
Her interests include walking, which probably means she can sympathise with stranded patients who may be forced to make the long walk home (in the dark and the wind and the rain) from Glangwili Hospital in Carmarthen.
Her other interests include Bee Gees music.
Taking liberties with Bee Gees hits, one wonders if she enjoys the following renamed songs?
Staying Alive (not easy in Llanelli), Llanelli A&E Disaster 2013, I’ve gotta get a message to you (but, we’re Hywel Dda and we won’t listen); How can you mend a broken heart (in Llanelli) and, finally, Tragedy and You Win Again.
But (and a big but): Is the debate over A&E in Llanelli over?
Well, any good music fan should know: it ain’t over until the fat lady sings!
Robert Lloyd
84 New Road, Llanelli, SA15 3DT
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