Hospital bed reshuffle hailed a success by health board

A reshuffle and reduction of beds between two Gwent hospitals has been hailed a success a year after being approved. 

The changes were prompted as the Grange Hospital, in Cwmbran, which only opened in 2020, didn’t have dedicated general medical beds, as it instead had a model focused on specialist care 

As a result there was no “clear accountability” for 16 patients, or beds, requiring what is called general internal medicine at the Grange – which prompted the transfer of staff from Abergavenny’s Nevill Hall Hospital to strengthen the respiratory care team at the Grange. 

Some medical inpatient beds were closed at Nevill Hall during 2024 and a general internal medicine model implemented at the Grange, which included a total reduction of 26 beds across the two hospitals. 

The changes however have reduced the length of time patients have had to stay in hospital and help improve the “flow” of patients through the hospitals. 

Aneurin Bevan University Health Board chief operating officer Leanne Watkins updated the board on the project at its November meeting after it approved the changes in November 2024. 

She said: “Overall it is a positive report for us and we have reduced length of stays in general medicine beds.”