A Pembrokeshire MP has voiced his concerns that proposals to build a new planned and urgent care hospital between Whitland and St Clears, will leave Pembrokeshire without a general hospital.

MP for Preseli Pembrokeshire Stephen Crabb has urged members of the public to share their views over the three potential sites being considered by Hywel Dda University Health Board for the facility, with the consulation running for 12 weeks.

“The Health Board submitted ambitious plans to the Welsh Government in the hope of securing in the region of £1.3billion investment into health and care in mid and west Wales,” said Mr Crabb.

“Whilst the narrative from the Health Board is compelling about how this money will be used to bring as much care as possible closer to people’s homes, with plans for a network of integrated health and care centres, designed with local communities, across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, and Pembrokeshire, I remain concerned that at the end of the day, it leaves Pembrokeshire without a general hospital and without an emergency and urgent care department.

“If you have an opinion on these plans for a new planned and urgent care hospital, now is the time to voice it.

“I strongly encourage you to take the time to visit the drop-in at Haverfordwest later this month so whether you are for it, or against it, you have your say,” added Mr Crabb.

Up to May 19, Hywel Dda University Health Board (UHB) is inviting members of the public, staff and partner organisations, to share their views about three potential sites for a new planned and urgent care hospital as part of the Health Board’s wider strategy to improve health and care in the region.

Last year, the Health Board submitted ambitious plans to the Welsh Government, which if successful, could result in the region of £1.3billion investment into health and care in mid and west Wales.

The foundation of the plan, which was developed following consultation in 2018, is to bring as much care as possible closer to people’s homes, with plans for a network of integrated health and care centres, designed with local communities, across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, and Pembrokeshire.

Maria Battle, Hywel Dda UHB Chair, explained:“A new urgent and planned care hospital is part of our strategy to be able to re-provide more care in community settings, by having a sustainable hospital model fit for future generations.

“This will improve and increase the specialist care services that can be provided in Hywel Dda and tackle some long-standing challenges, including old hospitals, problems in maintaining medical rotas over several hospitals, and staff recruitment.”

During the consultation, the Health Board is seeking feedback from all members of the public – people who live, work, or have an interest in our area, as well as organisations working in or interested in health and well-being, on the potential sites for the new hospital.

Steve Moore, Hywel Dda UHB Chief Executive, added:“Our consultation sets out three potential sites for a new Urgent and Planned Care Hospital in the south of the Hywel Dda University Health Board area – two near Whitland and one near St Clears.

“We do not have a preferred site and we have not bought any site or land for this development. Purchasing a site and delivering the new Urgent and Planned Care Hospital is subject to the Welsh Government funding, which is not yet confirmed, and if successful, would take several years to achieve. In the meantime, we want to continue to work with you, our communities, to prepare and deliver the best health and care services that we can.”

The three potential sites are within a small geographical area in the south of the Hywel Dda area, within the county of Carmarthenshire and near to the Pembrokeshire border.

Two are near the town of Whitland and one near St Clears, as follows:

• Whitland Spring Gardens (formerly site 12) is a short distance north-east of the centre of Whitland. It is between the A40 to the north, Whitland rugby pitch to the east, and Spring Garden homes to the south.

• Whitland Tŷ Newydd (formerly site C) is part of Tŷ Newydd Farm. The site is to the east of the old Whitland creamery. The town centre and the A40 road is less than one mile to the north of the site.

• St Clears (formerly site 17) is land at old Bryncaerau fields, next to the junction of the A40 and A477 in St Clears. The A4066 Tenby Road is to the south, the village of Pwll Trap to the north, and the A40 to the west.

Hywel Dda has stated that the overall geographical zone for the new hospital - between Narberth and St Clears – was agreed because it is the area that would mean most of our population is within an hour of an emergency department (either at this hospital, Bronglais Hospital, in Aberystwyth, or Morriston Hospital, in Swansea).

Representatives from the public (from across the area) along with staff, and experts, helped the Health Board shortlist five sites between October 2021 and February 2022 – the sites at the time were called site C Whitland, site J St Clears, site 12 Whitland, site 17 St Clears, and site 7 Narberth.

Four ‘land appraisal groups’ looked at the five sites from the viewpoint of clinical considerations, financial and economic considerations, workforce considerations and technical considerations, including what was important to the public.

In a Public Board Meeting on August 4, 2022, Health Board members heard all the outputs from the land appraisal groups. In this meeting, the Board said two sites in Whitland (sites 12 and C) and one of the sites in St Clears (site 17) should remain under consideration and unanimously agreed to consult with the public on these sites.

They eliminated two of the five sites, for the following reasons:

• St Clears (site J) – This site had the highest risk score based on the characteristics of the site such as difficulties with emergency access to the site and being more remote from a town centre. It also scored quite a bit lower than the other sites in the technical appraisal process with the public.

• Narberth (site 7) – The clinical appraisal groups had concerns about this site, due to it being further west. They were concerned that this site may lead to a reduction in the number of people choosing to have their babies in Hywel Dda, as opposed to further east, which could also affect neonatal and paediatric care. This could pose a risk to the critical amount of activity needed to keep services safe and sustainable. It could also have a negative impact on the number of beds kept and keeping trainee status, which is our ability to train doctors, nurses, and midwives.

Estimated capital costs for each site are as follows:

• At Whitland Spring Gardens, (formerly site 12) these additional costs are estimated to be around £19.9m, subject to inflation.

• At Whitland Tŷ Newydd, (formerly site C) these additional costs are estimated to be around £28.2m, subject to inflation.

• At St Clears, (formerly site 17) the additional costs are estimated to be £20.7m, subject to inflation.

A series of public drop-in events are being held across the locality over the next few weeks.

Lee Davies, Hywel Dda UHB Executive Director of Strategy and Planning, said: “We want to meet with and hear the views of as many people in our communities as possible during the consultation. To help members of our communities to learn more about the plans for our new urgent and planned care hospital, we have arranged a number of public drop-in events – both in-person and online – for people to share their views with us. We look forward to meeting with members of our communities during the coming weeks.”

The public drop-in events will be held between 2 and 7 pm at the following locations:

• 10 March, The Great Hall, Guildhall, Cardigan

• 14 March, Selwyn Samuel Centre, Llanelli

• 16 March, Haverfordwest Rugby Club, Haverfordwest

• 21 March, Ivy Bush Royal Hotel, Carmarthen

• 24 March, Regency Hall, Saundersfoot

• 28 March, Llandybie Public Memorial Hall, Llandybie

• 17 April, Whitland Sports and Social Club, Whitland

• 21 April, Morlan Centre, Aberystwyth

• 24 April, St Clears Leisure Centre, St Clears.