Glan Clwyd Hospital £1.5m outpatients' department opens

The first phase of work includes safe removal of asbestos found in some operating theatres

A new £1.5m outpatients' department has been opened at Denbighshire's Glan Clwyd hospital.

The facility at the Bodelwyddan hospital brings together clinics and pre-operation assessments which can now be conducted in a single visit.

Officials say the new unit allows for major changes to services to improve patient care.

Formerly, clinics were held off-site with the main outpatients previously housed at HM Stanley in St Asaph.

Other clinics such as orthopaedics currently held at Abergele Hospital are moving to the centralised site soon.

Val Parker, head of service improvement, said the new service offered a big opportunity and something not commonly seen in the NHS.

The facility is part of a £77m redevelopment of the hospital agreed by the Welsh Government.

The 1970s building in Bodelwyddan is already experiencing a £7m overhaul as part of work to remove asbestos, with another £5m spent on new operating theatres and an urology day care unit.

When the hospital was built in the late 1970s asbestos was commonly used as a fire retardant coasting on structural steelwork.

The new plans by the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board - which runs Ysbyty Glan Clwyd - will provide opportunities to remodel the hospital to bring together services which are currently spread over the site.