Hywel Dda: New hospital sites for west Wales narrowed down

Hywel Dda health board wants to locate a new hospital in Carmarthenshire as part of a £1.3bn health overhaul

The potential location of a new hospital for west Wales has been narrowed down to two sites.

A meeting of Hywel Dda health board on Thursday decided a new hospital would be built in either Whitland Ty Newydd or St Clears, both in Carmarthenshire.

It would be part of a £1.3bn health overhaul but is not expected until 2029.

The meeting heard 59% of public consultation respondents thought the Whitland site was a poor choice.

Meanwhile, 49% thought St Clears was a poor choice for a new hospital.

The longlist of locations was cut down to three in February, with the third site also being near Whitland.

Most concerns raised in the consultation were over lack of infrastructure in the areas, particularly regarding public transport and remoteness of locations.

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However, the purchase of either site is dependent on Welsh government funding, the meeting heard.

Maria Battle, chairperson of Hywel Dda University Health Board said that the plans need to be expedited given the current Raac issue in Withybush hospital.

'Our communities deserve it'

Ms Battle said that if west Wales did not get a new facility, "services will be spread too thinly and remain fragile".

She added: "Never has it been more urgent that we in west Wales have a new hospital."

Iwan Thomas, health board member, said: "The facilities [in Glangwili], with all due respect, are not fit for purpose. And a sticking plaster from Welsh government will not help us.

"We need a new facility in west Wales. Our staff deserve it, our patients deserve it, and our communities deserve it as well."

Hywel Dda previously said it hoped the new scheme would bring care closer to people's homes.

It said the overarching plans included a network of integrated health and care centres, designed with local communities, across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, and Pembrokeshire.

The Welsh government said: "We have received and are evaluating the proposals by Hywel Dda University Health Board, which include a new hospital. No decision on funding has been made."