People from communities across the three counties of Hywel Dda have helped assess five potential sites for a new Planned and Urgent Care Hospital.

Attendees at the workshop, on Tuesday 28 June, were drawn from across the region, as well as health board staff and partners.

Attendees reviewed each of the sites, before scoring them. Transport and accessibility to services at the hospital were identified as the highest weighted criteria.

All the sites are in a zone between and including St Clears and Narberth.

This zone, which was agreed following consultation in 2018, is the most central location for the majority of the population in the south of the Hywel Dda area, according to the health board.

The health board says it is committed to the principle that the public voice in this scoring exercise would be no less than 52% of the total.

Therefore, the Consultation Institute has increased the relative proportion of the public score accordingly.

The scoring of the sites following the technical land appraisal workshop were as follows:

  • Kiln Park Farm – 365
  • North-east of Whitland – 373
  • Ty Newydd Farm – 265
  • Penllyne Court – 334
  • Old Bryncaerau fields - 372

Lee Davies, Executive Director of Strategic Development and Operational Planning at Hywel Dda UHB, said: “I would like to thank all participants for their involvement and contribution in helping us to consider the sites for our new urgent and planned care hospital.

“The comments and questions received during the workshop were direct, honest, and challenging and highlighted the passion that exists in our communities for high quality health care.

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“We believe this type of engagement is vital to ensuring we reach the best decision for the future location of the new hospital.

“The output from this workshop does not necessarily mean the new hospital will be located at the site with the highest score.

“The reports for each of these appraisal groups will be considered by Hywel Dda’s Board in August.

"By following this thorough process  and engaging with the public, the Board will be able to fully understand the evidence to decide on the best way forward, to meet the clinical, health and care demands for our future generations, and deliver the ambitions of the Healthier Mid and West Wales strategy and secure a scale of investment never before seen in west Wales.”