Welsh Government
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Funding secured for maternity and neonatal service improvements at Glangwili Hospital, Health Minister confirms
Funding to support improvements to maternity and neonatal services at Carmarthen’s Glangwili Hospital is in the Welsh Government’s budget for 2016-17, Health and Social Services Minister Mark Drakeford recently (04 February 2016) said.
The Minister made the announcement during a visit recently (04 February 2016) to Carmarthen to see the new neonatal unit at Glangwili Hospital.
£3m has been set aside in the NHS Wales capital programme for 2016-17 to begin the second phase improvements to the neonatal and obstetric units at Glangwili Hospital, subject to the approval of plans submitted by Hywel Dda University Health Board.
The health board is expected to submit its business case for the second phase improvements early in the next financial year.
Consultant-led maternity care was concentrated and a new level two neonatal service is being developed at Glangwili Hospital following a public consultation and advice to the Minister from independent experts. A new midwife-led maternity service has been established at Withybush Hospital, in Haverfordwest.
An independent review of the changes by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health carried out a year after they were made concluded the changes were safe, sustainable in the long-term and have led to improved outcomes for mothers and babies. It made clear it would make ‘no clinical sense’ to return to the previous arrangements.
Professor Drakeford said recently (04 February 2016):
“I am pleased to be visiting Glangwili Hospital today to see the excellent work undertaken to transfer special care baby services from Withybush Hospital, backed by £3.8m funding from the Welsh Government.
“A year after the changes were put in place, the Royal College review tells us that these services are safe, sustainable in the long-term and, most importantly, have led to improved outcomes for mothers and babies. The review also made clear that it would make ‘no clinical sense’ to return to the previous arrangements. To ignore the experts’ views would be highly irresponsible.
“I am very pleased to announce that I have earmarked £3m to take forward the second phase of work at Glangwili Hospital, subject to an approved business case.”
