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Hospital plan 'will prevent massive disruption' - health bosses
MULTI-million pound plans to modernise Gwent's hospital services will be vital in preventing massive disruption for thousands of patients and staff, say health bosses.
Gwent Healthcare Trust chiefs fear the area's existing hospital system is close to meltdown, the case for major new projects such as a centrally-located Specialist and Critical Care Centre (SCCC) and a Local General Hospital (LGH) for Newport, more urgent than ever.
Without them, and without others proposed later for north Monmouthshire and Torfaen, patients face fundamental reorganisation of hospital services by default inside five years.
Nevill Hall Hospital, Abergavenny, would most likely lose much of its A&E and obstetrics services, and all intensive care, children's inpatient, and neo-natal services to the Royal Gwent, which in turn would have to re-route most of its routine operations to Nevill Hall to cope.
All emergency and trauma surgery might also have to come to the Royal Gwent.
The main reasons are the introduction next year of maximum 48-hour weeks for junior doctors under the European Working Time Directive, and lack of a critical mass of cases in many specialties at two hospital sites, particularly Nevill Hall, to enable them to develop sufficient skills and expertise.
The working time issue is likely to mean there are not enough doctors, and recruitment of more could prove difficult, even if money could be found to employ them.
Detailed proposals for the SCCC and Newport LGH, which together will cost £436m and provide more than 800 beds, are on the way to the Assembly for scrutiny.
The existing Llanfrechfa Grange Hospital site and the former Whiteheads steelworks site in Newport have been formally chosen as preferred options for the SCCC and LGH respectively.
The projects are the two biggest in the ambitious Clinical Futures programme, which aims to deliver six new hospitals for Gwent over the next seven-eight years.
The aim is to have both open by the end of 2013.
| City prefers ex-steelworks site |
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URBAN regeneration company Newport Unlimited and the city council would like both the specialist centre and the LGH built on the Whiteheads site.
A travel times analysis carried out for Newport Unlimited indicated that this would be the best site for patients across Gwent, but a similar exercise done for Gwent Healthcare Trust identified a central Gwent location and the Llanfrechfa Grange Hospital is now the trust's preferred option.
A review of these analyses has been carried out for Assembly health minister Edwina Hart and she will make a decision based on the details contained in the proposals for each hospital - the outline business cases - which are now heading her way.
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5:31pm Saturday 22nd March 2008
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CommentPosted by: exiled in ca, California on 2:42am Sun 23 Mar 08
Where is central Gwent? I'm sure Owain knows
Where is central Gwent? I'm sure Owain knows
Posted by: Lynn, Dorset on 7:16am Sun 23 Mar 08
Llanfrechfa Grange Hospital is the best place to expand, as the area has a lot of fields to achieve this goal, the location is off the duel carriageway, which is ideal.
Nevill Hall hospital Abergavenny is also an ideal location to expand, this hospital has a good reputation.
Newport hospital is in the town, the area is congested, difficult for people to travel too, Newport do not need further hospitals to make the area more congested than it already is.
Llanfrechfa Grange Hospital is the best place to expand, as the area has a lot of fields to achieve this goal, the location is off the duel carriageway, which is ideal.
Nevill Hall hospital Abergavenny is also an ideal location to expand, this hospital has a good reputation.
Newport hospital is in the town, the area is congested, difficult for people to travel too, Newport do not need further hospitals to make the area more congested than it already is.
Posted by: Owain Vaughan, Newport Monmouthshire on 10:01am Sun 23 Mar 08
The absolute geographical centre of Monmouthshire is not Llanfrecfa Grange as anyone with a basic grasp of geography (i.e. not the Argus) can figure out.
The absolute geographical centre of Monmouthshire is not Llanfrecfa Grange as anyone with a basic grasp of geography (i.e. not the Argus) can figure out.
Posted by: ALF, newport gwent on 11:27am Sun 23 Mar 08
I don't think any decision will satisfy everyone,however critical care centres should mean the best and most efficient service for each speciality which should only benefit the patient.There are pro's and con's to all sites so lets hope the decision makers get it right for the patient.
I don't think any decision will satisfy everyone,however critical care centres should mean the best and most efficient service for each speciality which should only benefit the patient.There are pro's and con's to all sites so lets hope the decision makers get it right for the patient.
Posted by: Owain Vaughan, Newport Monmouthshire on 11:40am Sun 23 Mar 08
We can only hope that the needs of the patient come first, but clearly stating a preference for a site that has no public transport and disadvantages a large swathe of the population it purports to serve is not showing much care for the patient.
We can only hope that the needs of the patient come first, but clearly stating a preference for a site that has no public transport and disadvantages a large swathe of the population it purports to serve is not showing much care for the patient.
Posted by: Dave on his soapbox, Casnewydd, Gwent on 1:26pm Sun 23 Mar 08
....just because this area has limited public transport at present....obviously doesn't mean once the hospital is built that adequate services won't be provided for the 30% who don't own a car....
....just because this area has limited public transport at present....obviously doesn't mean once the hospital is built that adequate services won't be provided for the 30% who don't own a car....
Posted by: James on 3:07pm Sun 23 Mar 08
C'mon Soapbox Dave - I hope you don't base all of life's decisions on bad odds... and what do you consider to be "adequate services" anyway?
C'mon Soapbox Dave - I hope you don't base all of life's decisions on bad odds... and what do you consider to be "adequate services" anyway?
Posted by: wolvesfan, Cwmbran on 4:23pm Sun 23 Mar 08
If I were a resident living in MOnmouthshire I would be a bit concerned about how they are going to rush me to Newport for emergency treatment if the event should happen.
I would think that the A and E service at Nevill Hall must be retained at all costs- unless the Welsh Assembly want people dying in their droves
If I were a resident living in MOnmouthshire I would be a bit concerned about how they are going to rush me to Newport for emergency treatment if the event should happen.
I would think that the A and E service at Nevill Hall must be retained at all costs- unless the Welsh Assembly want people dying in their droves
Posted by: Chris on 4:53pm Sun 23 Mar 08
The area referred to by "Gwent" in this article is the area covered by the eponymous Gwent Area Health Authority. This area is well defined and may or may not correspond to the area covered by the non-existent (but loved by the Argus) Gwent (County) or the ancient county of Monmouthshire. It certainly doesn't correspond to the area covered by the present county commonly known as Monmouthshire which lies to the east of the Gwent Health Authority area. Hope that helps someone.
The area referred to by "Gwent" in this article is the area covered by the eponymous Gwent Area Health Authority. This area is well defined and may or may not correspond to the area covered by the non-existent (but loved by the Argus) Gwent (County) or the ancient county of Monmouthshire. It certainly doesn't correspond to the area covered by the present county commonly known as Monmouthshire which lies to the east of the Gwent Health Authority area. Hope that helps someone.
Posted by: bmw on 6:58pm Sun 23 Mar 08
The whole logic of Llanfrechfra is flawed - it may be the "travel centre of GHA " but you dont find all the shops there, the leisure centre there , the library there, why not ? because most of the population lives in Newport!
You may put new bus services into Llanfrechfra...but never a railway station. At the moment Newport does have a railway station with perhaps in the future a connection ot Ebbw Vale.
The whole logic of Llanfrechfra is flawed - it may be the "travel centre of GHA " but you dont find all the shops there, the leisure centre there , the library there, why not ? because most of the population lives in Newport!
You may put new bus services into Llanfrechfra...but never a railway station. At the moment Newport does have a railway station with perhaps in the future a connection ot Ebbw Vale.
Posted by: Chris on 7:10pm Sun 23 Mar 08
[quote]You may put new bus services into Llanfrechfra...but never a railway station.
[/quote]
Why?
[quote]
At the moment Newport does have a railway station with perhaps in the future a connection ot Ebbw Vale.[/quote]
What???
You may put new bus services into Llanfrechfra...but never a railway station.
Why?
At the moment Newport does have a railway station with perhaps in the future a connection ot Ebbw Vale.
What???
Posted by: Casey, Torfaen on 7:24pm Sun 23 Mar 08
Anywhere bar Newport. Traffic, traffic, traffic, congestion, congestion, congestion.
Anywhere bar Newport. Traffic, traffic, traffic, congestion, congestion, congestion.
Posted by: Owain Vaughan, Newport Monmouthshire on 8:16pm Sun 23 Mar 08
Chris - you can't put a railway station in Llanfrecha for the pretty obvious reason that there is no railway line. BMW is quite-rightly pointing out that Newport does have a centrally-located mainline railway station. Personally I don't see why there has to be ONE main hospital anyway. North Monmouthshire can quite easily be served by an expanded Nevill Hall and south Monmouthshire by a hospital in Newport. No political messing around required. Oh yeah, and Chris - Gwent Health Authority was abolished in 2003 wasn't it? ;)
Chris - you can't put a railway station in Llanfrecha for the pretty obvious reason that there is no railway line. BMW is quite-rightly pointing out that Newport does have a centrally-located mainline railway station. Personally I don't see why there has to be ONE main hospital anyway. North Monmouthshire can quite easily be served by an expanded Nevill Hall and south Monmouthshire by a hospital in Newport. No political messing around required. Oh yeah, and Chris - Gwent Health Authority was abolished in 2003 wasn't it? ;)
Posted by: Chris on 9:01pm Sun 23 Mar 08
Owain. Er, yes to the Health Authority point. Oops. But didn't that cover the same area as the Gwent Healthcare Trust does now?
There [bold]is[/bold] a line pretty close. I thought the expansion of the proposed site at Llanfrechfa would bring it even closer and would allow it to be served by a station between Ponthir and Llantarnam.
My confusion about Newport station was the comment about the future connection to Ebbw Vale. I'm not sure what that has to do with this debate. Anyway, I doubt many people needing A&E will be using public transport!
Owain. Er, yes to the Health Authority point. Oops. But didn't that cover the same area as the Gwent Healthcare Trust does now?
There
is a line pretty close. I thought the expansion of the proposed site at Llanfrechfa would bring it even closer and would allow it to be served by a station between Ponthir and Llantarnam.
My confusion about Newport station was the comment about the future connection to Ebbw Vale. I'm not sure what that has to do with this debate. Anyway, I doubt many people needing A&E will be using public transport!
Posted by: juliangwent, brynmawr on 11:14pm Sun 23 Mar 08
cwmbran railway station is just down the road from llanfrechfa buses stop outside the llanfrechfa grange site as well. there is even a major police headquarters just across the road. tons of people have got attacked in the royal gwent car parks i wouldnt park my car there for a gold cow. if you ever go to newport it takes you an hour to get any where near. come on newport think of other people in gwent
cwmbran railway station is just down the road from llanfrechfa buses stop outside the llanfrechfa grange site as well. there is even a major police headquarters just across the road. tons of people have got attacked in the royal gwent car parks i wouldnt park my car there for a gold cow. if you ever go to newport it takes you an hour to get any where near. come on newport think of other people in gwent
Posted by: Dave on his soapbox, Casnewydd, Gwent on 6:55pm Mon 24 Mar 08
....suggest some of you explore Google Earth.....and zoom in to the area proposed for the new hospital....there's a railway line as near as the station in Newport is to the Royal Gwent
....suggest some of you explore Google Earth.....and zoom in to the area proposed for the new hospital....there's a railway line as near as the station in Newport is to the Royal Gwent
Posted by: npt nurse, newport city on 7:20pm Mon 24 Mar 08
juliangwent posted cwmbran railway station is just down the road from llanfrechfa buses stop outside the llanfrechfa grange site as well. there is even a major police headquarters just across the road. tons of people have got attacked in the royal gwent car parks i wouldnt park my car there for a gold cow. if you ever go to newport it takes you an hour to get any where near. come on newport think of other people in gwent[/quote]
And what makes Cwmbran or Neville Hall so safe, I may add there is a Newport Central Police Station across the road from the RGH. Every area has their fair share of problems including the above mentioned.
You are never going to please everyone no matter where the new building will be and no matter what any of us has to say the proposed site has probably already been decided.
juliangwent posted cwmbran railway station is just down the road from llanfrechfa buses stop outside the llanfrechfa grange site as well. there is even a major police headquarters just across the road. tons of people have got attacked in the royal gwent car parks i wouldnt park my car there for a gold cow. if you ever go to newport it takes you an hour to get any where near. come on newport think of other people in gwent
And what makes Cwmbran or Neville Hall so safe, I may add there is a Newport Central Police Station across the road from the RGH. Every area has their fair share of problems including the above mentioned.
You are never going to please everyone no matter where the new building will be and no matter what any of us has to say the proposed site has probably already been decided.
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