Clwyd MS Darren Millar has written to the newly appointed Cabinet Secretary for Health and Care calling for an urgent intervention in plans for a North Denbighshire Community Hospital in Rhyl.
While welcoming continued investment in local healthcare and supporting the development of the Royal Alexandra Hospital site, in his letter Darren raises serious concerns that the current plans, which were granted planning permission last December, fall significantly short of what was originally promised and what is needed to meet growing demand.
He has therefore called on the Cabinet Secretary, Mabon ap Gwynfor MS, “to use your powers to intervene, urgently review the scale of the project, and provide sufficient resources to ramp up the number of inpatient beds to at least those previously promised”.
His correspondence further states:
“I am seeking your intervention to ensure that a new, fit-for-purpose community hospital is delivered as soon as possible in Rhyl. I wish to be clear that I strongly support the redevelopment of the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Rhyl and welcome investment in local healthcare services. That said, I remain deeply concerned that the current plans fall significantly short of both what was originally promised, and what is required to meet current and future healthcare needs of the local population.
“When it was first announced back in 2013, the original vision for the hospital included 30 inpatient beds, alongside a broad range of supporting services. At the time, these beds were considered essential to provide step-down care, rehabilitation, and local inpatient treatment, reducing avoidable admissions and delayed discharges from acute hospitals. Despite this, the hospital project now being progressed has been significantly scaled back and now includes just 14 inpatient beds. This reduction is extremely concerning, particularly given that Ysbyty Glan Clwyd is now under even more pressure than when the original commitment was made 13 years ago.”
Darren referred to the fact that the current pressures at Glan Clwyd regularly feature in HM Coroner reports and said, “they are leading to unnecessary patient harm and excess deaths in North Wales, and undermining confidence in the NHS in the region”.
He added:
“I am concerned that a community hospital with such a limited number of beds risks being unable to fulfil its intended role. Rather than easing pressure on Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, there is a real danger that insufficient capacity will limit its effectiveness and add further pressure to the staffing issues we are already experiencing.
“I appreciate that planning permission is now in place, but I understand that bed capacity is being limited by the finances available from the previous Welsh Government, not by a lack of need. I have made my feelings known at every opportunity, but I remain extremely concerned that the Health Board is continuing to press ahead with a proposal which will not deliver the significant change we need.
“I am therefore urging you, as the new Cabinet Minister for Health, to use your powers to intervene, urgently review the scale of the project, and provide sufficient resources to ramp up the number of inpatient beds to at least those previously promised, so that a facility can be delivered that will truly address the needs of the local population.”
Darren confirmed that these concerns have already been raised with Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and expressed a willingness to work collaboratively with both the Welsh Government and the Health Board to secure improvements to the plans.
After sending the letter on Friday, he said:
“I have made this request to the Cabinet Secretary because it is essential that we get this right. Delivering a facility which falls short of what is needed would be a missed opportunity which could lead to greater challenges in the years ahead.”
