WORRIED mums and mums-to-be will take part in a protest against temporary changes to women’s and other services such as gynaecology, neonatal and breast services.

A consultation - to run for six weeks - was launched on Monday (August 24). A new website also went live which collates public reaction to temporary changes to women’s and other services such as gynaecology, neonatal and breast services.

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) have presented the public with four options: Services stay as now and BCUHB continue to manage current risks and issues with medical staffing and team working; temporary change to maternity services at Wrexham Maelor; temporary change to maternity services at Ysbyty Gwynedd or temporary change to maternity services at Glan Clwyd Hospital.

The health board favour the last option stating that it has the least geographical impact and is the most deliverable in a timely manner.

Marsha Davis, mum of six and founder of charity Little Miracles UK, who led the protest against changes at Glan Clwyd Hospital in February, has launched a fresh petition against downgrade plans at Glan Clwyd Hospital, Bangor and Wrexham.

She is also spearheading a second demonstration in Rhyl today (Monday, August 31).

The 35-year-old said: “We need to protect all three hospitals. The health board are being very clever doing what they did three years ago with neonatal services playing Wrexham against Glan Clwyd and it worked then. This time we - as a united North Wales - are saying we are not standing for the health board’s games any longer.

“The petition is growing but not quick enough. We have 16,000 people on the campaign page and a population of 700,000.”

The Bank Holiday Monday protest will start at 1pm at the Children’s Village. After a march, a fun day will be held. Children are being asked to dress up as superheroes in honour of staff who work for the health board. Staff are being encouraged to wear red for Glan Clwyd Hospital, green for Wrexham and white for Bangor.

Lyndsey Hindes, of Conwy, and her fiance Matt, aged 24, of Kinmel Bay are expecting their first baby in January.


Lyndsey, also 24, is in “two minds” on whether she should transfer her birth over to Bangor’s Ysbyty Gwynedd.

She said: “The natural choice for having our baby would be Glan Clwyd as it is only 11 minutes drive from our home.

“Luckily for me, my pregnancy has been easy with little to no symptoms - but who’s to say that my labour experience is going to be the same? Can the health board guarantee that if I get into difficulty that there will be an ambulance immediately available to transfer us to either Ysbyty Gwynedd or Wrexham Maelor? And even if it is what if the A55 is full of traffic? It’s a 40 minute journey either way and if my baby is in distress, can they guarantee my baby and its safety? These are fundamental questions which I feel the health board is completely ignoring.”

GALLERY: Mums and mums-to-be speak out on consultation:

Mary Heard, of Rhyl, has a 10-week old daughter Aurelia. Mary has had three children - all of her pregnancies were deemed “high risk”.

“I have had three C-sections,” she said. “If the consultant-led unit had closed at Glan Clwyd, it definitely would have impacted on me.

“We want to let the health board know that we aren’t going to take this lying down. We will fight to keep the doctor-led unit at Glan Clwyd.”

Tracey Davies, of Prestatyn, aired her views on the Journal Facebook. She is keen to be invovled in the consultation.

“I am due in January with my third baby,” she said. “I worry that as my last baby was born so quick, I wouldn’t get to either hospital in time. Bangor is 55 minutes away and Wrexham is 52 minutes away.”

Marsha Davis, mum of six and founder of charity Little Miracles UK, who led the protest against changes at Glan Clwyd Hospital in February, has launched a fresh petition against downgrade plans at Glan Clwyd Hospital, Bangor and Wrexham.

She is also spearheading a second demonstration in Rhyl on Monday, August 31.

The 35-year-old said: “We need to protect all three hospitals. The health board are being very clever doing what they did three years ago with neonatal services playing Wrexham against Glan Clwyd and it worked then. This time we - as a united North Wales - are saying we are not standing for the health board’s games any longer.

“The petition is growing but not quick enough. We have 16,000 people on the campaign page and a population of 700,000.”

Earlier this year, BCUHB said they were planning to remove consultant-led maternity care from Glan Clwyd Hospital due to a shortage of doctors. After campaigners challenged proposals and legal action, the Board agreed to consult the public before reaching a decision on a "short term" change.

Matt Makin, medical director at the health board, acknowledged that the proposed change in service is "particularly emotive".

He added: "The risks we are currently managing are becoming increasing unmanageable.”

Simon Dean, interim chief executive of BCUHB, added: “Changes will last for as short a time as it takes for us to ensure we have a stable service across North Wales.”

The consultation questionnaire is avaliable at www.nwmaternity.org.uk