Motions for Discussion at 2009 Union

4. Military Medical Units for Wales 

We, as Independent chapel members, have opposed militarism for years and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in particular. As Christians, we are aware on the pain and suffering inflicted on people, in various forms, in the fighting. We deplore the lack of provision in Wales to treat soldiers wounded in these wars. Although three regiments ( The Royal Welsh, The Welsh Guards and the Queen’s Dragoon Guards – the ‘Welsh Cavalry’ ) recruit heavily in Wales, none of the MOD’s 33 UK medical units are in this country. Having to travel to England to visit relatives injured physically or mentally in the fighting is an added burden on Welsh families – especially in the case of soldiers going through lengthy treatment.   We believe that the MOD has duty to provide treatment facilities in Wales, for the sake of the soldiers and their families.

We therefore call on the Welsh Assembly Government to discuss with the MOD the possibility of establishing two medical units in Wales. We suggest that one should be in the Wrexham area – as the Royal Welsh regiment is based there, and another in south Wales. We suggest that Golden Grove mansion near Llandeilo could be an option, as it’s close to Glangwili general hospital, the psychiatric facilities at Teilo ward and St David’s hospital, and the specialist burns unit at Morriston hospital.

As well as being a valuable provision for soldiers and their families, such units would lighten the additional load placed on the NHS of having to treat wounded military personnel – a situation which makes other patients fear they are being moved down the waiting list. These units would also create a variety of new jobs in a period of severe economic problems.

Proposed : Revd Guto Prys ap Gwynfor                            

Seconded : Revd Emyr Gwyn Evans

(Proposal by West Carmarthen Association, seconded by East Carmarthen & Brecknok Association.)