'More people will die' if Merthyr stroke unit closes, says patient's family
"More people will die" if a Welsh health board goes ahead with the closure of one of its stroke units, according to the mother of a patient treated there.
Marry Mahoney's son, Kerry, suffered a stroke aged 36. She says the care he received in the Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr saved his life. "If it wasn't for them he wouldn't be here today", she told ITV Wales.
Cwm Taf Morgannwg health board wrote to staff last week to inform them the hospital's unit would close early in the new year.
In the letter, the health board's CEO, Paul Mears blamed "severe workforce challenges" for the decision to close the unit and move the services to the Royal Glamorgan Hospital in Llantrisant.
However, more than 4,000 people, including Mary, have signed a petition calling on the health board to reconsider its decision. In a letter, local MP Gerald Jones described the closure as "deeply concerning" adding it "could endanger lives."
On Tuesday 17th December, staff were told stroke services at the Prince Charles Hospital would urgently be relocated to a "single site, at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital, from 6 January 2025."
The Cwm Taf Morgannwg health board blamed a "severe shortage of specialist medical staff with the training, skills and experience to safely care for patients" for the decision.
The decision comes after many services at the Princess of Wales Hosptial were also moved to the Royal Glamorgan after rotting beams were discovered in the hospital's roof.
The closure has been met with widespread objections from local people who fear the changes will cost lives.
Mary Mahoney's son and daughter have both been treated at Prince Charles after suffering a stroke. In 2015, her son Kerry was treated in the ward for more than a month.
"He died, and the treatment they gave him brought him back to life", she said, "they saved his life."
Mary is worried patients in the future will not be so lucky if they have to travel more than 20 miles to the Royal Glamorgan. "I think it should stay where it is", she said, "It is not just a worry for me but for thousands of people out there".
"More people will die, and younger [people] - that will happen. That will be my fear."
Local politicians have also shared similar concerns. Gerald Jones MP said, "I am concerned that removal of services [...] will leave a large section of the northern valleys without this crucial, time-sensitive medical intervention.
"I fear this could not only hinder recovery but also endanger lives".
Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health & Social Care, James Evans MS, says he has called for answers from the health board. "Relocating the service to Llantrisant would double the travel distance and journey time, leading to worse outcomes for patients and placing extra pressure on ambulance service," he said.
Meanwhile, a petition calling for the closure to be reversed has received more than 4,000 signatures. Its organiser is also concerned about the future of "over 40 personnel" working in the Prince Charles Hospital; "the meticulous team built over many years is now at risk of being dispersed by this reckless decision."
In a statement, the health board said “We recognise that this necessary change will be concerning for some. However, we must make immediate, local changes to the way in which services are provided if we are to maintain a safe service that can continue to save lives and reduce the devastating effects of stroke for as many patients as possible.
"Without making these changes, it will not be possible for our staff to continue providing this vital service for patients.
“We want to remind people that should they or a loved one experience the symptoms of a stroke, they should always call for an ambulance in the first instance.
"If you do attend your local hospital, any of our emergency departments will be able to assess you and provide urgent medical treatment, if required, to stabilise your stroke.”
You can find a full list of support if you or someone you know has had a stroke, here.
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