A QUESTION mark hangs over the future of the busy children’s unit at Wrexham Maelor Hospital.

As part of a general review of facilities across the region, bosses at the Betsi Cadwaladr Local Health Board are putting the unit under the microscope but they will not say at this stage whether it will remain or be axed.

However they have revealed that its fate will be discussed at a meeting in Llandudno this week.

In a separate development, the board has confirmed that a number of temporary nurses working in various departments at the hospital may be in line to lose their jobs when their contracts run out.

The Leader has received calls from concerned readers about possible cuts in services and staffing at the Maelor, which we put to the board.

On the question of the possible closure of the children’s unit, a spokesman said its future was currently under consideration as part of a general review of services.

Also being examined as part of the same process, he said, are maternity services across the region.

He added: “The review is partly due to the current financial situation and is also about making the best use of our resources.”

The spokesman said the future of the children’s unit would be discussed at a stakeholder meeting to be staged at Venue Cymru in Llandudno tomorrow.

An audience of 150 people – including patients, staff and representatives of charitable voluntary organisations with an interest in the unit – had been invited to take part in the discussion, he added.

Leader
readers have also voiced their concerns that a number of nurses are about to be axed at the Maelor.

The health board spokesman said: “We are not axing any jobs.

“We have a number of nurses working at the hospital on temporary contracts – of 12 months, six months and shorter periods – who are coming to the end of the contracts.

“Decisions are therefore being made about whether to extend their contracts based on the clinical needs of the departments where they work.”