P-04-564 Restoration of Inpatient Beds, Minor Injuries Cover and X-Ray Unit to the Ffestiniog Memorial Hospital – Correspondence from the Petitioner to the Committee, 15.11.16

Dear Kayleigh,

We would be grateful if the following attachments could be brought to the Petitions Committee's attention before they next meet. They are clear evidence that neither the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board nor the First Minister, or his Health Minister for that matter, are prepared to even consider the serious healthcare problems that exist in the Welsh Uplands. We regard the First Minister's curt response to the details that we presented him with as being both disrespectful and insulting and we hope that the Petitions Committee will seek those answers from him or his Minister that have been repeatedly denied to us thus far.

Since he knows full well that BCUHB have time and time again refused to respond to our questions, then it is disingenuous of the First Minister to be saying yet again that the decision lies with the health board, especially in light of the fact that the Betsi has been kept under special measures for 7 - 8 months and is likely to remain so for at least as many months again.

We also attach our latest pamphlet with examples of the level of abuse that elderly residents in the Welsh Uplands are having to suffer.

We hope that such evidence will result in keeping our petition open until such time as your members become satisfied that the Government is not intentionally supporting a discredited health board.

Yours very sincerely,

Geraint V Jones (Chair of Ffestiniog Memorial Hospital Defence Committee)