Discussion
by members of the Care Scrutiny Committee and Council Officers arising from the
presentations.
Minutes:
During the ensuing discussion, amongst the Care Scrutiny Committee
Members, the following observations were highlighted:
(i)
Concern regarding travel difficulties to Ysbyty
Alltwen for patients and families.
(ii)
From the comments made by the Defence Committee, that it was necessary
for the Betsi Cadwaladr
University Health Board to review the following matters:
·
Lack of consultation and communication with local residents and have the
correct facts as there were lessons to be learnt from the last review.
·
The popularity of outdoor activities and tourism in Blaenau Ffestiniog, and therefore the possibility of an increase in
the demand for x-ray and minor injuries services.
·
Undertake another independent review as the previous one was now
historical and therefore there was a golden opportunity to change the decision
to get inpatient beds back / x-ray unit and minor injuries service that was
really needed in Blaenau Ffestiniog.
·
Difficulties in terms of home care for patients in Blaenau Ffestiniog as many of the houses were unsuitable for
hospital beds
·
Consider the provision of extra care housing
(iii)
Whilst sympathising with the residents of Blaenau Ffestiniog
in losing a resource, it was felt that they had to be realistic and that the
service was sustainable, safe and the same for the rest of the County.
(iv)
The 10 service hubs operated had to be taken into consideration with 3
of these in Gwynedd namely 30%, and it might be difficult to argue for a fourth
to be located in Blaenau Ffestiniog.
In
response to the above comments:
The
Corporate Director noted:
·
whilst accepting the above
comments, it would be possible to ask the Health Board to monitor and collect
evidence regularly to see what impact these changes have on the residents of
Blaenau Ffestiniog for further consideration by the
Care Scrutiny Committee after the Memorial Centre opened in October this
year. By undertaking a review it would
be possible to compare the service in the Blaenau Ffestiniog
area compared to the rest of the County.
·
In terms of the lack of staff
recruitment, it was recognised that there were difficulties in Gwynedd and
specifically in the rural areas and it would be useful to commission a piece of
work jointly with the Health Board to try and address this problem.
The Head of
Adults, Health and Well-being noted:
·
that concerns had been voiced in
the past regarding the public transport system from the Meirionnydd coast and
how convenient it was to reach Ysbyty Alltwen and a survey was conducted at the time. Stemming
from this, amendments were made to bus time-tables to ensure that they turned
up to Ysbyty Alltwen,
however it may be timely to ask the Care Cabinet Member and the Environment
Cabinet Member to commission work to look again at this provision.
·
In terms of extra care housing
that a symposium would take place on 13 October with the Council's Housing
Department / Cartrefi Cymunedol
Gwynedd and Cynefin to discuss this matter and it
would be beneficial to invite a representative of the Betsi
Cadwaladr University Health Board to be part of the
discussions as well.
·
For information, that the Adults,
Health and Well-being Department commissioned work on residential / nursing
sites and that the Residential Care Home at Bryn Blodau,
Llan Ffestiniog was one of
the homes under consideration.