Madam,

It was pleasing to read that “there will be no let up in your campaign to keep health care services local” (Cambrian News Editorial, last week). Sadly Labour AM Joyce Watson seems to disagree with you.You report her as heralding the health minister’s new scheme to retain primitive and remote healthcare in north Meirionnydd and the Welsh Uplands as “great news”. She says “the centre is part of the Welsh Government’s vision of a health service providing care to the community closer to people’s homes”.Is it “care closer to people’s homes” when the hospital beds will remain closed in Ffestiniog and sick, elderly people will continue to be exported from Ffestiniog to community hospi-tals in Dolgellau, Porthmadog and Pwllheli? Is it “care closer to people’s homes” when anyone needing an X-ray has to travel to Ysbyty Alltwen or Ysbyty Gwynedd, when a service could be made available in Ffestiniog as it was until the Welsh Labour Government downgraded the facilities in 2013? Is it “care closer to people’s homes” when the two branch surgeries in Llan Ffestiniog and Dolwyddelen are not to be reopened and elderly people will continue to have to pay for taxis to see a doctor?North and mid Wales has been suffering from a progressive downgrade of its health service since the last Assembly election. When people tell me that “you can’t trust Welsh Labour with the NHS” it is hard to disagree.

If Labour loses a few seats in May’s election and is forced to enter a coalition with more sensible Plaid Cymru or Liberal Assembly Members, Welsh patients could be the winners.

Well done, Cambrian News, for keeping up your campaign.

Yours etc

Tom Brooks

Borth-y-Gest

Porthmadog.