Caerphilly District Miners’ Hospital will close its doors for the last time this weekend as staff and patients are transferred to the new Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr.
The new Local Emergency Centre at the £172m hospital opens on Monday November 14 and will boast state-of-the-art medical facilities and 24-hour round the clock care for local residents.
Plaid Cymru AM Lindsay Whittle has paid tribute to the work carried out at Caerphilly Miners’ Hospital.
Mr Whittle, who is the AM for South Wales East and a councillor in Caerphilly, said: “I don’t think anyone can under-estimate the contribution the Miners’ has made to health care in Caerphilly and across the Rhymney Valley.
“Generations of people have been cared for by the NHS thanks to the miners who contributed to the costs of building this wonderful hospital. I was born there, as was my daughter, so very happy times and, of course, I’ve had sad times because my mother passed away there.
“There are plans to make community use of The Beeches building in the future which I would like to see progress.
“The staff deserve a huge thank you from all of us for their contribution over the years. It is the end of an era but a new one has started with the opening of Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr.”
The hospital site is due to be demolished to make way for a housing development – although planning permission has yet to be approved as the council negotiates a Section 106 agreement with developer United Welsh.
Plans to keep the historic Beeches building – which was originally bought by the miners – as a community centre are well advanced.
The hospital was built in 1923 and was paid for by the miners of the Rhymney Valley after they each put aside 6d out of their weekly wage of 12s 6d to raise the £30,000 needed.
Looking ahead to a new era of healthcare in the county borough, council leader Allan Pritchard said: “We are delighted to see the impressive new facility up and running. We have worked in close partnership with the Aneurin Bevan Health Board as the scheme progressed and they have also worked with the community to ensure local people were involved in shaping the services at the hospital.”
A new access road has been created off the A469 dual carriageway to provide direct access to the hospital and there are also a series of other improvement schemes underway to improve traffic flow in the area.
Well i think you should of left this open, Atleast we had an a&e even if it was only open from 9am-5pm. Now we have a new hospital with a minor injury unit, Took my son up there last night thinking it was a&e, to be told we had to go to the heath. How pathetic all that money on a new hospital with no a&e, This is one of the most important things we needed at the new hospital, Cause we have to drive all the way to cardiff of the gwent. You need to sort this out
The new Local Emergency Centre at the £172m hospital opens on Monday November 14 and will boast state-of-the-art medical facilities and 24-hour round the clock care for local residents. THIS MAKES ME LAUGH, YES 24HOUR CARE IF YOUR ADMITED TO HOSPITAL OTHERWISE ITS A TRIP TO THE ROYAL GWENT OR HEATH X
Helen Perry on November 26th, 2011 at 9:35 am says…
Well i think you should of left this open, Atleast we had an a&e even if it was only open from 9am-5pm. Now we have a new hospital with a minor injury unit, Took my son up there last night thinking it was a&e, to be told we had to go to the heath. How pathetic all that money on a new hospital with no a&e, This is one of the most important things we needed at the new hospital, Cause we have to drive all the way to cardiff of the gwent. You need to sort this out
I strongly agree.
I strongly agree with james's comment right there.
totally agree.
its such an unfortunate thing.
Napper! you know you shouldn't be up on your computer this late!
sad news i worked there on orthopaedics i think the miners who contributed their wages in order to have healthcare facilities built in the town would be mortified if they were still here….sad news indeed