ARFON ASSEMBLY MEMBER Sian Gwenllian has accused the Welsh Labour Government of "putting party interests before public safety" following the First Minister's refusal to initiate a public consultation on the removal of emergency vascular services at Ysbyty Gwynedd Hospital.

Raising the issue at First Minister's questions, Ms Gwenllian said, considering recent developments, it was now incumbent on the First Minister to 'directly intervene' and instruct Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) to carry out an urgent and transparent consultation with the public on the safety implications for patients in north west Wales directly affected by the reforms.

Siân Gwenllian’s comments follow the resignation of a BCUHB Board Member who warned that "lives could be lost" if the reforms are implemented.

"Whilst the First Minister was at Buckingham Palace, the Senedd heard that the health board had misled the public on the issue of downgrading the vascular service in Bangor," she said.

"Since then, a prominent member of the health board has resigned in protest – a very grave step – and yet the Welsh Labour Government STILL doesn’t intend to intervene.

"Isn’t the truth of the matter that it’s the political agenda of the Labour party that is responsible for favouring a hospital that is in a marginal seat, at the expense of services to patients across north Wales.

"The Health Board has so far chosen to discount calls for an impact assessment into the effects of removing emergency vascular care from Ysbyty Gwynedd on patients living in the farthest corners of north west Wales.

"Consequently, far reaching reforms are being pushed through the back door with minimal public scrutiny and little or no transparency at the expense of patient care and ultimately, their safety.’

A Welsh Government spokesperson hit back at Ms Gwenllian's claims, saying: "We do not play politics with people’s lives. Decisions about the health service are made on the basis of what will deliver the best outcomes for patients and not to win votes.

"To suggest otherwise is wholly inappropriate and highly irresponsible. Eighty per cent of vascular services will still be delivered locally.

"Those who need more complex surgery – around 300 people a year – will be treated at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd in a centre of excellence which has seen significant investment, and which has attracted a large number of highly qualified staff. This centre will be one of the best in the UK and will provide sustainable services for the whole of North Wales."

From April 10, Glan Clwyd Hospital will become the arterial centre for the vascular network and will provide all emergency and elective arterial surgery and complex endovascular interventions.

In order to support this the Health Board has appointed clinical staff, opened an additional ring fenced arterial ward and installed a state of the art hybrid operating theatre.

The 24-hour-a-day, 7-days-a-week consultant vascular emergency rota will run from Glan Clwyd Hospital. It currently runs from Ysbyty Gwynedd and Wrexham Maelor Hospital on an alternating basis.

In simple terms, at present for half of the week emergency care is available in Wrexham, and for half of the week it’s based in Bangor. By locating the small number of emergency cases in one site, it means everyone has equal access to the best expertise, regardless of where in North Wales they live.