A ‘clinically-led appraisal of options’ into children’s hospital services in the Hywel Dda Health Board is underway in a bid to consolidate provision in the new hospital network which is predicted to be completed in 2029.

In March 2020 the daytime paediatric care unit at Withybush - the Puffin Ward – was relocated to Glangwili.

As a result, children with serious illnesses from across the south of the Hywel Dda region, have been referred, asked to attend, or taken by ambulance, directly to Glangwili Hospital. Children with minor injuries or scheduled outpatient appointments have continued to be able to access their care and treatment at Withybush, as well as at the Cardigan Integrated Care Centre.

Clinical teams at Withybush’s emergency department and the Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust are currently using a ‘triage tool’ to ensure the rapid identification of children with significant illness and a subsequent speedy onward transfer for specialist care.

Now the Board is being asked to approve the proposed approach to the review and include a clinically-led appraisal of the different options for provision of children’s hospital services ahead of a new planned care hospital being established in the south of the Hywel Dda area.

“I want to reassure people that whilst this review takes place, we will continue to provide stable, clinically safe and high quality hospital children’s services for children and young people across the south of our area from Glangwili, commented deputy chief executive and medical director professor Philip Kloer.

“Our review of the temporary changes to hospital paediatric services in the south of Hywel Dda, began in March this year.

“We now want to undertake a clinically led appraisal of the options for the service and we want to hear the voices of our stakeholders, building on the feedback and engagement undertaken since 2014 to assess what else may be needed.”

The Hywel Dda University Health Board will receive an update and a timeline for further work needed at a meeting next Thursday, May 26.

Meanwhile children, young people and their families who have received care from Hywel Dda University Health Board are encouraged to give their feedback on their experiences by visiting https://hduhb.nhs.wales/ and searching ‘patient feedback’.