THE granddaughter of a woman who received ‘amazing’ care in the under-threat Barry Hospital Sam Davies ward, has paid tribute to staff during a rally.

Eloise Ghazi-Torbati thanked staff, in an emotional address in King Square, as around 100 people gathered to protest about the Cardiff & Vale UHB’s proposal to close the rehabilitation ward which caters for frail and elderly people.

Ms Ghazi-Torbati, 26, was joined by Aneira Thomas, 71, the first person born after the NHS was founded, who also addressed supporters, on Saturday, October 5.

Around 100 people marched from Barry Hospital to King Square to voice their views on the future of the 23-bed ward which has 30 female staff.

The ward has just won a Carer Friendly Silver Award as a "shining example of great person-centred care".

Ms Ghazi-Torbati said closing the ward was wrong.

“It’s just absolutely terrible,” she said.

“My nan (81-year-old Rita Tilley) was diagnosed with a brain tumour and we were going back and fore to the Heath.

“But then she was taken to Barry Hospital and we could see her whenever.

“She got really bad, but they looked after my nan.

“They were so kind to us as well.

Ms Ghazi-Torbati added that she had nothing but praise for the Sam Davies ward staff and the care they gave the patients and families.

“They were amazing,” she said.

Mrs Thomas said: “I feel angry at what they are planning to do to the Sam Davies ward.

“The NHS plan was for people to live long, healthy lives.”

The Unison Cymru-organised march and rally saw Unison regional branch secretary, Tanya Palmer; Unison branch chairman Stuart Egan; Labour prospective parliamentary candidate, Belinda Loveluck-Edwards; and Cllr Sandra Perkes also address the crowd during the rally.

Ms Palmer urged people to fight against the closure plan.

Vale MP Alun Cairns also attended the demonstration.

Clinical director of clinical gerontology at Cardiff and Vale UHB, Joseph Grey said improving health care services would enable patients to recover and return home more quickly.

“The new proposals will help improve independence and mobility.

"They will also offer better opportunities for patients to recover more quickly and to return home in a more timely fashion with appropriate support in the community.

“We are inviting people to give us their thoughts and comments on these proposals which will help us to shape our services for frail older people in the Vale of Glamorgan.”

The eight-week engagement on the care of frail older people in the Vale will end on November 1.