Plans for a specialist centre of excellence for breast care services at Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr have been given the initial go-ahead by the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board.
NHS bosses want to create the centre at the Ystrad Mynach hospital in to unify breast care services for the health board region under one roof.
Currently, breast services are provided from Newport’s Royal Gwent Hospital and Abergavenny’s Nevill Hall Hospital.
The new centre could be open as early as August 2018 if funding from the Welsh Government is agreed and planning permission approved.
A recent consultation into the proposed new centre received public backing and Caerphilly AM Hefin David has also been a vocal supporter.
On the decision by the health board to progress the plan, Dr David said: “I discussed this with the Chief Executive of the health board when I met her earlier this year and asked that Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr be considered as a location for the centre of excellence.
“I also raised this with Vaughan Gething AM, the Cabinet Secretary for Health, in the Assembly in October. I am therefore delighted with the decision of the board and I will continue to press for full Welsh Government support.”
A report presented to the health board last month said current service provision was “fragile” and outlined the reasons why the centre should be built.
It said: “Breast services are currently provided from the Royal Gwent Hospital and Nevill Hall Hospital. Whilst feedback about the care received is excellent. There are a number of challenges faced by the service.
“These challenges are consistent with the picture across Wales, in particular difficulty in recruiting and retaining staff resulting in increased waiting times and non-compliance with national requirements and the standards expected by Welsh Government for people with suspected or actual breast cancer.
“The clinic environment also presents challenges, both to patients and the clinical teams. Space is restricted and there is little opportunity to redesign in order to improve patient privacy, dignity and experience.
“With services being split across sites, and without dedicated space, patients are often asked to attend multiple times for tests/procedures that could be delivered in a single visit, and staff clinical time cannot be maximised due to travel needs.”
A spokesman for Aneurin Bevan University Health Board said: “A business case will now be developed for the capital funding required to create a purpose built unit at Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr.
“It is anticipated that this will be available for consideration by the board early in 2017.”
Labour Assembly Member for Caerphilly Hefin David has achieved what
political opponants and those critical of the Hospitals current
facilities (or lack of) said would not come about. This is a case of
Welsh Labour, and Hefin David`s committment, to the continued and
improved health care of his constituents, and constituents from further
afield.
This proposed facility AGAIN demonstrates the sucessful
efforts of Labour Assembly Members leading the debates in Wales which
matter to Welsh People, and in Caerphilly in particular, Thank you Hefin
David, people are grateful.
Oh yes the wonderful efforts of the Labour Assembly – trailing woefully behind the rest of the U.K when it comes to education and today it is announced that the Welsh economy is bottom of the GVA table yet again, Welsh Labour firmly keeping the people of Wales in the lifestyle they have become accustomed to, demonstrating that the Welsh Labour Assembly are failing the people of Wales.
You are happy to support and aplaud this new iniciative in this Hospital then? ditch the negativity and support sucesses for goodness sake. such grey, and neckaching dispondency does no good at all.
At this stage it is nothing more than a load of ifs, buts and maybes, cheering a lineout when your team are already 30-0 down – more hot air and empty promises from a Welsh Labour Assembly who are failing the people of Wales on every level of education, health and the economy, after almost 20 years of Labour rule Wales trails woefully behind the rest of the U.K, this tired, outdated, complacent bunch of dinosaurs needs to be ousted.