Mrs. Lynette George, chairman of Pembrokeshire and Derwen NHS Trust, welcomed Dr Brian Gibbons, Minister for Health and Social Care, who visited Tenby on Monday to participate in a ceremony to mark the commencement of on-site works at the new £4m health care facility at Butts Field. Cowlin Construction Ltd. has been steaming ahead with preliminary works on site for just over two months. The hospital will be built over the next seven months and is due for completion by December 2005. This will allow the Trust to modernise its services in the light of ever-changing demands and see real benefits for patients and staff alike. The new Tenby Cottage Hospital will provide a purpose-built state of the art healthcare facility for the people in the Tenby and district. This will enable an enhanced environment, improved facilities for patients and better working conditions for staff, better transport links and access to the facility. A wide range of services will be available to the public, including a Minor Injuries Unit, outpatient services, Health and Social Day Care services, podiatry, dentistry, x-ray facility and a base for community staff. The Trust has worked with partner agencies and members of the Tenby Local Implementation Group to plan and design this new hospital. This milestone is a reflection of the tremendous commitment that everybody involved has given to the success of the scheme to date. Progress is being made in relation to location of the inpatient independent sector beds. This forms part of the reprovision of services from the existing TCH. Dr. Gibbons, who also visited the site of the new South Pembrokeshire Hospital on the same day, said: "We have shown our commitment to building new hospitals and improving existing ones across Wales with our massive £300m capital investment programme. The start of work on two new hospitals in Pembrokeshire is the real evidence that this investment is making a difference. "The redevelopment of South Pembs. Hospital and Tenby Cottage Hospital will make a huge difference to the patients using the facilities in the local area. They will now be treated in an environment that is fit for the 21st Century.