Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Special care cots under threat

• Janet Ryder, Plaid AM for North Wales, with Siôn Aled Owen and other activists collecting signatures for the Cherish petition at Wrexham market on 29 January.

A review that could see Wrexham Maelor Hospital lose four intensive care cots to treat new-born babies “would be the start of a slippery slope” to losing vital maternity services, says Plaid Cymru.
The proposals involve centralising certain treatments in one hospital for the whole of North Wales. But the public consultation does not say which services would be transferred to one of the big three hospitals - Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor, Ysbyty Glan Clwyd at Bodelwyddan and the Maelor.
But now Plaid Cymru has learned the plans could see specialist care for sick and premature babies being transferred to Glan Clwyd, raising concerns about the long-term future of maternity care in Wrexham.
All four neonatal intensive care cots at Wrexham’s Special Care Baby Unit are being considered for transfer. This would mean the unit losing its ability to treat seriously ill babies and having to move urgent cases.
Plaid Cymru Assembly candidate for Wrexham Siôn Aled Owen said: “By its very nature a Special Care Baby Unit has to deal with urgent, often life-or-death, cases, so to even consider downgrading such an unit in a major centre of population like Wrexham is madness. Not only will the lives of babies be put at risk, but the likelihood is that the loss of the cots would be the start of a slippery slope that leads to the loss of other services from the Maelor."
Mr Owen added: "Childbirth is not like a heart operation or cancer treatment. It is a natural process with a wonderful outcome in most cases. Where special care is needed, thankfully in a small number of cases, that should be made available in all three main hospitals.
Mr Owen said he was backing the petition launched by Cherish, the parents' support group, to fight the closure proposal.

Bygythiad i gotiau babanod gofal arbennig

Byddai adolygiad a allai olygu y bydd Ysbyty Maelor Wrecsam yn colli pedwar cot gofal dwys i drin babanod newydd eu geni “yn gychwyn ar lethr lithrig” tuag at golli gwasanaethau mamolaeth hollbwysig, meddai Plaid Cymru.
Mae’r cynigion yn golygu canoli rhai triniaethau mewn un ysbyty ar gyfer y cyfan o’r Gogledd. Ond nid yw’r ymgynghoriad cyhoeddus yn dweud pa wasanaethau y byddid yn eu trosglwyddo i un o’r tri ysbyty mawr - Ysbyty Gwynedd ym Mangor, Ysbyty Glan Clwyd ym
Modelwyddan ac Ysbyty Maelor.
Ond nawr mae Plaid Cymru wedi clywed y gallai’r cynlluniau olygu trosglwyddo gofal arbenigol ar gyfer babanod sâl a chynamserol i Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, sy’n achosi pryder ynghylch dyfodol hirdymor gofal mamolaeth yn Wrecsam.
Mae pob un o’r pedwar cot gofal dwys ar gyfer babanod newydd eu geni yn yr Uned Gofal Arbennig Babanod yn Wrecsam o dan ystyriaeth i’w trosglwyddo. Byddai hynny’n golygu y collai’r uned y gallu i drin babanod difrifol wael ac y byddai angen symud achosion brys.
Meddai Ymgeisydd Plaid Cymru ar gyfer y Cynulliad yn Wrecsam, Siôn Aled Owen: “Mae Uned Gofal Arbennig Babanod o’i hanfod yn gorfod ymdrin ag achosion brys, yn aml pan fo bywyd yn y fantol, felly mae hyd yn oed ystyried israddio uned o’r fath mewn canolfan poblogaeth fel Wrecsam yn wallgofrwydd. Nid yn unig y bydd bywydau babanod mewn perygl, ond y tebygrwydd yw y bydd colli’r cotiau yn gychwyn ar lethr lithrig a fydd yn golygu colli gwasanaethau eraill o Ysbyty Maelor."
Ychwanegodd Dr Owen: "Nid yw geni plentyn yn debyg i lawdriniaeth ar y galon neu trin canser. Mae’n broses naturiol sydd â chanlyniad ardderchog yn y rhan fwyaf o achosion. Pan fo angen gofal arbennig, a dim ond mewn nifer fach o achosion y mae hynny, diolch fyth, dylai fod hynny ar gael yn y tri phrif ysbyty.” Dywedodd Dr Owen ei fod yn cefnogi’r ddeiseb a lansiwyd gan Cherish, y grwp cymorth i rieni, i frwydro yn erbyn y cynnig.

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