§ Mr. Gareth WardellTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the effect of the closure of the children's ward at the Prince of Wales hospital, Rhydlafar, Cardiff, on the quality of facilities and treatment for children with orthopaedic ailments in Wales.
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§ Mr. Nicholas BennettSouth Glamorgan health authority has assured my right hon. Friend that the transfer of the children's orthopaedic facility at the Prince of Wales hospital, Rhydlafar, to the Cardiff royal infirmary should enhance the service available to children in Wales. It points out that the infirmary is the main centre for trauma and orthopaedic care in the district. As such, it has a supporting academic department, and on-site access to a wide range of support and diagnostic facilities, including the most modern body-scanning technology in Wales.
The health authority also emphasise the benefits, in safety terms, of having anaesthetic cover and emergency services on site.
Furthermore, the children involved will be accommodated in the authority's most recently upgraded and modernised children's ward. This includes a range of cubicles and bedded areas, together with a separate unit for teenagers, a children's play area, purpose-built accommodation for parents and a well-established ward-based educational service.