top of page
Search

The Petition - Welsh Government Intervention of Hywel-Dda Health Board decisions

As an organisation dedicated to the safety and well-being of our residents, we are raising an urgent alarm regarding the ongoing removal of acute services at Withybush Hospital.


For too long, the narrative has been framed as a "local disagreement" between a Health Board and a community. It is time to change that narrative. This is no longer just a healthcare debate; it is a community safety crisis that requires immediate legal intervention from the Welsh Government.


The Safety Gap: Why We & our CEO Are Stepping In

The continued downgrading of Withybush - most notably the loss of emergency surgical provision - creates a geographical "safety gap" for Pembrokeshire. In emergency medicine, time is the most critical variable. By forcing patients into longer transit times to distant facilities, the margin of safety for our citizens is being systematically eroded.


Withybush General Hospital - Main Entrance
Withybush General Hospital - Main Enterance

The Legal Mechanism: The Welsh Government’s Power to Act

There is a common misconception that the Welsh Government cannot interfere in "operational decisions" made by Health Boards. This is legally incorrect. Under Welsh Law, the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care holds specific powers to intervene when a Health Board is failing to meet its statutory duties.


Our campaign specifically calls for the Welsh Government to exercise its authority under:

  • The NHS (Wales) Act 2006 (Sections 26 & 27): This grants Ministers the power to issue an Intervention Order. If a Health Board’s service changes compromise the "comprehensive health service" promised to the public, the Minister has the legal "keys" to step in and mandate the restoration of services.

  • The Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014: This Act mandates that health and social care must be integrated to promote the well-being of the population. Stripping away local hospital access undermines the "preventative" core of this law, shifting the burden onto an already struggling social care system.


A Call for Unity, Not Competition

We are aware of the various groups that have campaigned for Withybush over many years. We respect their dedication. However, as a safety-focused organisation, our approach is strictly evidence-based and legally driven.


We have noticed attempts to gatekeep this movement, but we remain clear: This is not about credit; it is about compliance. We aren't interested in who was "first" - we are interested in who is effective. The current trajectory of "minimised services" proves that the old ways of protesting aren't working. We need a new strategy that holds the Welsh Government accountable to the laws they themselves passed.


How You Can Help?

On Monday, we launched a formal petition to demand that the Welsh Government stops "passing the buck" to the Health Board and uses its statutory powers to protect Pembrokeshire. Hopefully, this will have a knock on effect for intervention, whereby they can add on, restore and/or intervene in decisions across the Hywel-Dda Region. Ajay Owen, the petition starter and CEO of SARS Cymru said:

"The law exists to protect the most vulnerable. If the Welsh Government refuses to use the NHS Wales Act to save Withybush, they are choosing to ignore the very safety net they created. The law is there to be used in cases like this. People will die at the lack of commitment to the Emergency Care of our residents. Those deaths will be on the Hywel-Dda Health Board's hands, including our politicians in power."

Join us in demanding a safer Pembrokeshire. Our lives depend on it.


Press Releases & Official Sources who have shared this petition:



SUPPORT & RESOURCE SERVICES (SARS) CYMRU LIMITED is a registered in England & Wales (#16432213). We are a registered non-governmental, non-profit community organisation; limited by guarantee. We are also Social Enterprise Registered. 

​

AJR TOWING, RECOVERY & VALET SERVICES LIMITED is a registered company in England & Wales (#16144947). This is a company with shares, for profit.

bottom of page