HYWEL Dda University Health Board will decide this week on making the mental health referral pathway permanent in Ceredigion, with potential expansion to Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire.

The Board will decide on changes to the GP referral pathway at its Public Board meeting on March 26, 2026.

The Board will consider a proposal to make the pathway change in Ceredigion permanent and, if approved, to support the phased roll-out of the pathway across Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire.

Since March 2025, adults in Ceredigion needing routine mental health support have been advised by their GP to call the NHS 111 Wales Press 2 service instead of receiving a referral to the Ceredigion community mental health team.

This temporary change was introduced in response to ongoing staffing shortages within the county’s community mental health team. Since its introduction, the temporary pathway has supported the use of the 111 Wales Press 2 service as the main route for routine adult mental health referrals, while maintaining timely access to face‑to‑face assessment by the Ceredigion community mental health team for individuals who require it.

The 111 Press 2 service provides a telephone assessment by a local wellbeing practitioner, supervised by a registered mental health nurse, and offers timely advice, support, and onward referral where needed.

At its November 2025 meeting, the Board agreed to extend the temporary referral pathway in Ceredigion until the end of March 2026. The Board also approved a nine-week engagement process that ran from 8 December 2025 to 9 February 2026. The purpose of the engagement was to understand the possible impacts, and any support that could be put in place, if this were to become the permanent Health Board-wide pathway for GPs to refer patients to routine adult mental health services.

Andrew Carruthers, Chief Operating Officer at Hywel Dda University Health Board, said: “I’d like to thank everyone who has taken the time to share their views and experiences with us.

“I’d also like to thank West Wales Action for Mental Health for their support to ensure we heard from patients, including people with lived experience, alongside GPs, primary care teams, mental health staff and third sector partners and stakeholders.

“Our priority is to ensure mental health services remain accessible, equitable and sustainable. The temporary change in Ceredigion has shown some positive benefits, and the feedback we have received from people across all three counties will play an important role in shaping the Board’s decision.”

The Board will consider all evidence and feedback at its March meeting before determining the future of the adult mental health referral pathway.

GPs have been able to continue to refer patients with the most urgent or complex needs directly to the county’s community mental health team when appropriate. They have also had access to a professional 111 support line for additional clinical advice.

For more information, the Board paper is available to read here https://hduhb.nhs.wales/about-us/your-health-board/board-meetings-2026/board-agenda-and-papers-26-march-2026/ and the Board meeting will be broadcast live from 9.30am on Thursday, March 26 on www.youtube.com/hywelddahealthboard1.