More "painful" health changes on cards, says AM

* Closure-threatened Llangollen Cottage Hospital.

 

The Leader is reporting today that a health board has been accused of trying to cover up plans for a second round of NHS service reforms in North Wales.

An initial public consultation into the changes was recently closed by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.

Under those proposals, Llangollen Community Hospital is also facing the axe, as is the MIU at Chirk Community Hospital.

Now Shadow Minister for Health Darren Millar, AM, has said that correspondence he received from the National Clinical Forum shows a second round of consultations for the region is also in the pipeline.

In addition Mr Millar accused the forum of re-writing a report on a previous round of changes following private discussions it held with Betsi Cadwaladr’s chief executive, Mary Burrows.

The forum warned the board that its proposals were “unsustainable” in the long term, but their assessment was later rewritten reportedly following Mrs Burrows’ intervention.

Mr Millar said: “I am absolutely baffled to hear a second consultation is already being planned by the health board.

“Despite all the opposition to the controversial and dangerous proposals already brought forward, we now know there’s more pain to come.”

+ See the full report at http://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/117595/am-claims-second-round-of-health-cuts-to-come.aspx