HEALTH bosses have been quizzed after changes to vital services in the region.
The crunch meeting was held due to the closure of Flint Community Hospital for three months and disruption to other services across North Wales.
Pat Billingham, head of the region’s health watchdog, called the meeting with bosses of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.
Mrs Billingham, chief officer of Betsi Cadwaladr Community Health Council (CHC), said: “We asked for more information behind these decisions and learnt more about the demands on emergency medical services at the three main hospitals.
“We were also told of a forecast for increased pressures for the next three months and of the problems in recruiting staff.
“The CHC quizzed the health board closely on plans for temporary changes, if pressures on services increased and made it clear that if such plans proved necessary in the future, the board should give notification of such changes as far in advance as possible.”
Staff at the Flint Community Hospital have been diverted to Holywell Community Hospital to re-open six beds which have been closed since November.
The move is part of a North Wales-wide plan to help the health board cope with the busy winter period.
Mrs Billingham said: “Members voiced concerns about the possible impact of changes, temporary or not, on patients. The CHC will continue to monitor the impact of the changes across North Wales.
“In future, the CHC would wish to see much earlier discussions with GPs and local authorities so that the best possible solutions for patients and their families can be but forward.
Mrs Billingham added: “We welcome the board’s commitment to possibly re-opening services before March 31, 2012, if it is safe to do so. We have also welcomed details about how the board plans to monitor, jointly with the CHC, the situation on a week by week basis.
“We will stay on the case and monitor the impact of changes across North Wales.”
A spokesman for the health board said: “We will consider in detail the important feedback received from the community health council.
"We are wholly committed to putting patient safety first and sometimes difficult choices have to be made so that we can ensure our services remain safe across North Wales.
“In situations where changes are necessary to ensure safety in the short term, we reserve the right to implement these rapidly so that that the skills of our staff can be used to care for patients who need them most.
“However, we fully appreciate the need to involve local people, GPs, staff and partner organisations in the longer term planning of services so that we can work together to improve the health of the population.”