Calls grow for urgent investment in west Wales hospitals as new-build plan pushed back a decade

The board had proposed a £1.2 billion facility between St Clears and Whitland to replace key services at Carmarthen’s Glangwili Hospital and Haverfordwest’s Withybush Hospital. Two sites were shortlisted in 2023 after a lengthy selection process — which, a BBC Wales freedom of information request has revealed, cost the health board more than £1.2 million. No land has yet been purchased, and the health board now says the project is on hold for the long term.

‘We can’t wait for the new hospital’

Hywel Dda chief executive Prof Phil Kloer said he was making a “strong case” to the Welsh Government for immediate investment in existing sites.

“I think there is an understanding that we have ageing infrastructure, and it does need investment, and we can’t wait for the new hospital before that happens,” he said. “Some of this will depend on the results of the consultation and our deliberations following that. There’s a lot of discussion to be had on how best to direct any investment we get.”

The board’s Clinical Services Plan consultation, which closed on 31 August, set out proposals to tackle problems in nine “fragile” services, including potential changes to stroke care at Bronglais and Glangwili, and centralisation of other specialist services.

Pressure across the region

With the new-build delayed for at least a decade, attention has turned to the hospitals that will have to carry the load in the meantime — not just Glangwili and Withybush, but also Llanelli’s Prince Philip Hospital.

Campaigners in Llanelli point to the hospital’s role in acute medical assessment, elective surgery and its Minor Injury Unit, arguing that sustained capital investment is essential to keep pace with demand. Prince Philip has been at the centre of community activism for years, with local groups lobbying for expanded services and modern facilities after the loss of its A&E department.

Plaid Cymru councillor Gareth John said it was “very unlikely” a new hospital would be funded “any time soon” and urged ministers to modernise Glangwili, while also ensuring Prince Philip receives the upgrades it needs.

“We have to invest in our general hospital, bring it up to a modern age, bring new equipment and diagnostics and buildings up… to give our staff a fighting chance and work in a decent, modern environment,” he said. He also called for “heavy” investment in community services, primary care and suitable accommodation to speed up patient discharge, warning of a “distinct lack of capital investment” in west Wales “going back decades”.

Conservative Senedd member Sam Kurtz said the Welsh Government should “invest in the infrastructure that already exists”.

“There should be investment at Glangwili, at Withybush Hospital and Bronglais. Why not invest in those sites that we’ve already got? This is about ensuring that patients and the population of west Wales have the services they deserve.”

Government response

The Welsh Government said it was working with Hywel Dda on its future requirements and had invested over £500 million in the NHS Wales estate and infrastructure last year.

#Aberystwyth #BronglaisHospital #Carmarthen #GlangwiliHospital #Haverfordwest #HywelDdaNHS #Llanelli #PrincePhilipHospital #WithybushHospital

Four hospitals to install defibrillators that the public can use

Hywel Dda University Health Board have announced that members of the public now have access to four new defibrillators on each of its main hospital sites. 

These are at Glangwili Hospital in Carmarthen at the main entrance by the hospital sign, Prince Philip Hospital in Llanelli by the bus stop at the entrance to the hospital, Bronglais Hospital in Aberystwyth by the pharmacy entrance and Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest at the roundabout on the main entrance.

The health board says this has been made possible by collaboration between the health board and Save a Life Cymru to install public access defibrillators for use in the community. 

It added that for every minute that CPR and defibrillation is not commenced the chance of survival decreases by 10%. Immediate CPR and early defibrillation can significantly increase survival.

Save a Life Cymru provided the four defibrillators at no cost to the health board. The defibrillators are housed in heated cabinets and will be checked regularly by volunteer ‘guardians’. Each public access defibrillator is registered with the National Defibrillator Network (The Circuit) and this means that should they be needed, the 999 ambulance call taker will be able to direct someone to them.  

The defibrillators are said to be really easy to use and offer voice prompts. In the event of a cardiac arrest, members of the public will need to call 999. They will be advised where the nearest defibrillator is located and to follow the instructions provided (visual, phone, defibrillator) while performing CPR and providing defibrillation. Never stop CPR, always send someone else to fetch the defibrillator for you.

Professor Len Nokes, Chair of Save a Life Cymru said: “We are delighted to have provided new public access defibrillators at four key locations on the Hywel Dda estate. This gives the surrounding communities and visitors to these sites 24/7 access to lifesaving defibrillators. We know that for every minute someone’s in cardiac arrest without receiving CPR and having a defibrillator used on them, their chance of survival decreases by 10%. 

“Marc Gower, our Save a Life Cymru’s Community Co-ordinator in west Wales, will be supporting the defibrillator guardians to make sure defibrillators continue to be registered on The Circuit so that their locations are made available to the Welsh Ambulance Service.  This will ensure that the 999 call takers can direct a bystander to a registered defibrillator and help save more lives.”

Dr Eiry Edmunds, Interim Deputy Medical Director for Acute for the health board said: “I am proud of our collaboration with Save a Life Cymru to ensure public access defibrillators are available at our hospital sites. This collaboration provides potentially lifesaving equipment for our communities.”

Mark Henwood, Executive Medical Director at the health board, said: “I am very pleased to hear that we are the second health board in Wales to engage with Save a Life Cymru to provide public access defibrillators. This will be a great development for the health of our communities and will save lives. I wish to personally thank Save a Life Cymru, all those individuals who have donated and also the volunteer guardians.”

#Aberystwyth #BronglaisHospital #Carmarthen #defibrillators #GlangwiliHospital #Haverfordwest #HywelDdaNHS #Llanelli #PrincePhilipHospital #SaveALifeCymru #WithybushHospital