BBCThe chief executive of a health board has said he is making a “strong case” to the Welsh government to invest in existing hospitals, after plans for a new urgent care hospital for west Wales were shelved.
In November 2024, Hywel Dda University Health Board admitted a new hospital was unlikely to be built for at least 10 years.
But Prof Phil Kloer said existing hospital sites needed investment and that “we can’t wait for the new hospital before that happens”.
The Welsh government said it was working with the health board “on their future requirements”.
Decisions on future investment could be determined by the results of a consultation on future services at the health board which ends at midnight on 31 August.
The Clinical Services Plan aims to tackle problems with nine healthcare services said to be in a “fragile” state. It means some stroke services could be moved from Bronglais General Hospital in Aberystwyth and Glangwili Hospital in Carmarthen with other services centralised.
Prof Kloer, chief executive of Hywel Dda University Health Board, said he was in “discussions with government right now to improve our infrastructure”.
“I think there is an understanding that we have ageing infrastructure, and it does need investment, and we can’t wait for the new hospital before that happens,” he said.
“Some of this will depend on the results of the consultation and our deliberations following that. There’s a lot of discussion to be had on how best to direct any investment we get.”
Hywel Dda University Health Board made a bid to the Welsh government for £1.2bn in funding for a new urgent care hospital in 2022.
A freedom of information request by BBC Wales has revealed the health board spent over £1.2m selecting sites for the new hospital, with a shortlist of two eventually chosen in St Clears and Whitland.
With plans for a new hospital shelved for now, Plaid Cymru councillors in Carmarthen have called for millions to be spent upgrading Glangwili hospital, which opened in 1949.
Councillor Gareth John said it was “very unlikely” a new hospital was going to be funded “any time soon” and that money should be spent improving facilities at Glangwili.
“We have to invest in our general hospital, bring it up to a modern age, bring new equipment and diagnostics and buildings up… to give our staff a fighting chance and work in a decent, modern environment.”
He added there was a need to invest “heavily” in community services, primary care and suitable accommodation so patients can be discharged as quickly as possible, claiming there had been a “distinct lack of capital investment” in west Wales “going back decades”.
Sam Kurtz, Conservative Senedd member for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, said the Welsh government should improve all hospital sites and “invest in the infrastructure” that already exists.
“There should be investment at Glangwili, at Withybush hospital and Bronglais. Why not invest in those sites that we’ve already got,” he said.
“I’d like to see the government, the responsible body for health services in Wales, put their hand in their pocket and give the proper investment that’s required to the health services here in the west.
“This is about ensuring that patients and the population of west Wales have the services they deserve.”
The Welsh government said it was working with Hywel Dda on its future requirements and had invested over £500m in the “NHS Wales estate and infrastructure” last year.
