£18m investment boost for NHS Wales to provide quality healthcare

25 Jun 2014 03:07 PM

An £18m investment in essential equipment and facilities for the NHS by the Welsh Government will ensure the nation’s health service is fit for the challenges of the 21st century, Health Minister Mark Drakeford and Finance Minister Jane Hutt said today. 

The Ministers said the investment in key hospital sites and diagnostic equipment will support the ongoing reconfiguration of the NHS and ensure health services are sustainable, efficient and affordable in the long term, as well as delivering improved patient experiences in a prudent healthcare service for Wales.  

Extra investment in diagnostic services, including creating a new diagnostic hub at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital, in Llantrisant – an outcome of the South Wales Programme – will help cut waiting lists and speed up access to treatment for patients.

The £18m allocation will support the development of the following schemes:

• £9.5m to support Morriston Hospital, in Swansea. This investment will bring forward a programme of development, including construction of a new accommodation block for clinical support and diabetic services accommodation;
• £3m to support Hywel Dda neonatal services, including the establishment of a level two neonatal unit, a new obstetric unit and paediatric high dependency unit at Carmarthen’s Glangwili Hospital; and two new, purpose-built midwife-led units at Glangwili and Withybush hospitals;
• £2.5m to support the provision of new diagnostic equipment across Wales.
• £2m to support a diagnostic hub at Royal Glamorgan Hospital, in Llantrisant. This will take forward the development of the hospital as a beacon site for diagnostics, as outlined in the South Wales Programme;
• £1m to support the new Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service. This investment will support the phase one development of an enhanced service that will provide patients who require time-critical treatment with rapid access to the skills of experts in emergency or intensive care medicine, as well as facilitating transfers to hospitals with specialist equipment for limb or life-threatening emergencies; The service is intended to respond to calls 24 hours a day, utilising a range of vehicles.

Professor Drakeford said:

“This multi-million pound investment clearly demonstrates this government’s commitment to the NHS. It will help bring forward key elements of NHS reconfiguration plans to provide high-quality healthcare in a safe and sustainable manner.

“To do that, we need to ensure our NHS is fit for purpose. This means changing the way the NHS delivers services by providing more care as close to people’s homes wherever possible. But it also means some services for the very sickest patients need to be concentrated, so patients can be cared for by clinicians who are trained to deliver the very best care available.”  

Finance Minister Jane Hutt said:

“Our priorities are clear. We want to boost growth and jobs while delivering first class public services across Wales. The projects receiving funding today are about more than just money – they create jobs, improve public services and ultimately make a difference to people’s lives.  

“This is a clear demonstration of a government that is delivering for the people of Wales.”