The petition, launched by local resident Paul Haugh, asks for A&E services to be reinstated at Newport’s Royal Gwent Hospital.
It argues that Newport, as a city, should have its own emergency department.
Mr Haugh said: “Newport is a city, and has been classed as a city since the Queen’s Golden Jubilee in 2002.
“Yet, unlike a modern city, its A&E department was moved to Cwmbran while the Royal Gwent hospital within the city remains as a minor injuries ward.
“As such, the Grange University Hospital’s A&E department suffers extreme waiting times, and is too small to serve the varying communities from Newport and the valleys beyond.
“Reopening the A&E department in the city of Newport will bring a much needed service back”.
The Royal Gwent’s A&E department was closed on November 17, 2020, as part of a wider reorganisation of hospital services.
Emergency care was moved to The Grange University Hospital in Cwmbran, which now serves patients from Newport and surrounding areas.
Mr Haugh continued: “The people of Newport were severely disappointed when the A&E department was removed from the Royal Gwent Hospital on the 17th November 2020.
“It is impractical for a major city’s main hospital to be in a neighbouring town.
“Furthermore, The Grange University Hospital’s A&E department is incapable of efficiently meeting the demand from Newport and beyond.
“Newport, and I, would like the Welsh Government and the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board to reopen the A&E department in the Royal Gwent Hospital.
“This positive step will alleviate severe strain on the Grange Hospital’s A&E department, and will consistently bring down waiting times across the Health Board”.
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The petition has already gathered 360 signatures, meaning it will be discussed by the Petitions Committee once it has finished collecting signatures on October 17, 2026.
A spokesperson for Aneurin Bevan University Health Board said: “We understand people’s concerns about pressures on urgent and emergency care and we remain focused on improving waiting times at The Grange University Hospital by improving flow through the hospital and ensuring people access the right care, in the right place, first time.
“Reopening multiple A&Es at sites such as the Royal Gwent Hospital is not a feasible solution, as Emergency Departments require onsite support facilities such as emergency theatres and critical care, a full range of specialist staff and other hospital services that cannot safely be duplicated across several hospitals.
“We would like to reassure our patients that the Grange University Hospital provides a full, specialist-led Emergency Department designed to deliver the safest care for the most seriously ill patients in Newport and across Gwent alongside four Minor Injury Units (MIUs) across the Health Board, including the largest and 24/7 MIU facility at the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport.
“Patients can and should continue to use the Minor Injury Units at the Royal Gwent, Nevill Hall, Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr and Ysbyty Aneurin Bevan hospitals, which treat a large proportion of non-life-threatening injuries that people would otherwise attend the Emergency Department for”.