Work began last week on the £25.2 million obstetric and neonatal facilities project at Glangwili Hospital.

This second phase of redevelopment will increase the capacity of the facilities at the hospital including high dependency cots, special care cots and parent overnight stay rooms, as well as increase the number of birthing rooms, operating theatres and resuscitation bays.

Plans are also in place for an additional 45 car parking spaces.

The plans will provide a modern environment for the delivery of obstetric and neonatal services at Glangwili, and address the urgent areas of concern highlighted in the Royal Colleges’ report into the maternity, neonatal and paediatric services provided by the Health Board.

The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services, Vaughan Gething, announced the funding during a visit to Glangwili in April.

The development will significantly improve the patient experience and accommodation for families.

Health Board Chief Executive Steve Moore said: “We are delighted that work started on this project which will improve accommodation and facilities for women, babies and their families.

“We hope this provides our population with confidence that we will now proceed with pace to make these improvements.”

The second phase redevelopments will include four high dependency cots plus one stabilisation cot, two single cot nursery spaces plus one isolation lobby, eight special care cots and two double parent overnight stay rooms at the Neonatal Unit.

The Labour Ward development will include five standard birthing rooms, one birthing room with a fixed pool, one birthing room equipped to deal with multiple or complex births and six bedded higher dependency area.

A bereavement room, two operating theatres and training room facilities for multi-disciplinary team working which can also be used for parentcraft classes are also part of the plans.

Disruption for staff will be kept to a minimum, and services for patients and their families will remain unaffected during the building work.

The scheme is due to be completed by 2020.