Concerns are growing in the Cynon and Merthyr valleys following the launch of a public consultation by Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board (CTMUHB) on proposed changes to how Specialist Palliative Care (SPC) is delivered across the Rhondda Cynon Taf, Merthyr Tydfil, and Bridgend areas.
Central to the debate is a proposal that would close the eight-bed specialist ward at Ysbyty Cwm Cynon in Mountain Ash — known as Ynysdawel Ward, or Ward 6 — and shift provision towards at-home care. Ward 6 is a small specialist unit providing care, compassion, and dignity during the final days and weeks of patients’ lives, a service that has also extended to patients’ families and friends, as evidenced by community donations to the ward. AberdareOnline
Critics of the proposal warn that closing the ward would leave a significant gap in local provision. Under the plans, patients requiring specialist palliative care would be directed to either the Royal Glamorgan Hospital in Llantrisant or the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend — meaning there would be no local specialist palliative care provision for the Merthyr and Cynon Valleys. AberdareOnline
Campaigners and local representatives have welcomed the principle of expanding at-home care, but argue it must not come at the expense of the inpatient ward. Serious concerns have been raised that the decision may be driven by staffing shortages rather than a genuine ambition to improve patient outcomes, and that closing the ward risks shifting the burden of care onto families who may not be equipped to cope.
Heledd Fychan MS has written to the Health Board requesting a meeting to discuss these concerns, while a petition has been launched calling on the board to retain the ward alongside any expansion of community-based services.
The Health Board has sought to reassure the public, stating that end-of-life care will continue at the Ysbyty Cwm Cynon site, with the consultation focused specifically on Specialist Palliative Care. The board notes that only a very small number of people require this level of specialist input, with the majority needing general end-of-life support at home or in community hospital beds. AberdareOnline The board has also emphasised that any changes to specialist palliative care at the hospital are described as temporary and subject to the ongoing consultation. ITV News
Ysbyty Cwm Cynon, located on New Road in Mountain Ash, is managed by CTMUHB and opened in 2012, replacing several older facilities in the area. Wikipedia The Merthyr and Cynon specialist palliative care team has long been based at the hospital, serving patients in their homes, nursing homes, and at Prince Charles Hospital.
The consultation represents a critical moment for communities in the valleys, and residents are being urged to make their voices heard before any final decisions are made.
https://www.facebook.com/cllrkarenmorgan
Related Posts
Is Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board removing palliative care from Ward 6, Ysbyty Cwm Cynon?
A4059 Road Closure Mountain Ash this Weekend Avoid the Area it will be CHAOS on the B4275 Mountain Ash to Abercynon
Ward 6 Ynysdawel Ward at Ysbyty Cwm Cynon