Beds in children's ward cut due to staff shortage

Cerys Humphreys says she "could not count" the amount of times she has used Bronglais Hospital's children's ward for their daughter Nel

Capacity at a children's ward will be cut from nine beds to five because of a "temporary reduction in availability of children's nurses", a health board has said.

Bronglais hospital's Angharad Ward in Aberystwyth will reduce the amount of available beds on 1 November, which it said could last up to six months.

Patients that need more than 24-hours of care will be sent to Glangwili hospital in Carmarthen, more than an hour away.

Dr Prem Kumar Pitchaikani, a consultant paediatrician at Hywel Dda health board, said there are "some specific and additional staffing pressures" at the children's ward as it prepares for "a difficult winter".

According to a report presented to the board, the ward had been "operating at risk" since the beginning of 2024 because of "shortfalls in the availability of paediatric nurses".

The majority of children who need care for up to 24 hours would still be treated in Bronglais, but very sick children would be transferred to Glangwili in Carmarthen, the report said.

Cerys Humphreys and her husband, both from Aberystwyth, often use the Angharad Ward at Bronglais Hospital for their daughter Nel, who is 16-months-old and has Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome.

Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome is a genetic condition that affects many parts of the body, known to cause characteristic facial features, delayed growth and development, intellectual disability, and seizures.

Cerys said they've been receiving a lot of care out of Bronglais Hospital since her 20-week scan where they picked up on a cleft lip.

The family travelled to wards in Cardiff, Bristol, and finally Glangwili in Carmarthen when Nel was born.

She said: "I could not count the amount of times we’ve used the Angharad Ward. We’ve ended up there with viruses, infections.

"I got so emotional about the potential closure or changes [of Angharad Ward] because I know first hand what it felt like to be separated from my husband, who’s my support, and my other daughter who had to stay home for school.

"It really hurt when I read that this could potentially be the reality for all the community that have to travel and then it made me think, what about the single parents, with multiple children? How would they navigate it?"

The health board also approved the recommendation to close the minor injuries unit (MIU) at Prince Philip Hospital in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, overnight for a six-month period overnight from 8pm to 8am for six months from 1 November.

The board heard the reason for the overnight closure was "due to a significant and continued lack of medical cover", which had led to concerns about the safety of patients and about staff welfare.

Mr Carruthers said when the unit was nurse-led only, it had put additional risk on the staff that ran the service overnight.

The hospital's director, Dr Robin Ghosal, said that parents with a very sick child or someone with an acute illness should not be going to the MIU.

Four patients are currently receiving care at Tregaron Hospital

Hywel Dda health board also approved the decision to close nine beds at Tregaron Hospital in Ceredigion after reducing the amount from 15 last year.

It said the decision was made in order to release staff to care for patients in their homes or in the community.

Local people fear the move will put more pressure on the available beds in general hospitals in mid and west Wales, with the risk of more bed blocking.

There are currently four patients receiving care in Tregaron hospital.

Hywel Dda’s chief operating officer Andrew Carruthers said it had become increasingly difficult to staff the hospital beds in Tregaron.

Moving the nurses from the hospital to the community would enable four times as many patients to be cared for," he said.

He added the change would allow the health board to provide better quality and safer care for patients closer to home.

A community-focused model of care planned for the area, known as the Cylch Caron Model, will include a new GP surgery, pharmacy, outpatient clinics and extra care flats in Tregaron.

However, local people said it would not replace the hospital as it would not have any inpatient beds.

They also said the project had been discussed for more than 10 years and while a site for the centre had been bought, no building work had started yet.

A report on Tregaron Hospital presented to the health board said there had been "serious delays due to multiple factors", but added progress was now being made.