The building work to create a state-of-the-art Tenby Cottage Ward at Tenby's Park House Court has been completed in record time. The first patients will be admitted to the Lighthouse Ward today (Friday). "It has been a very busy 12 months, but an exciting time as this innovative concept in partnership working has been brought to fruition," said Matron, Mrs. Elizabeth Hardcastle. A brand new concept in health-care, the innovative project is a collaboration between the NHS and the independent sector and will show how community services can be updated and yet remain in the locality they were originally designed for. The opening of the multi-million pound facility will complete the reprovison of the in-patient bed facilities from the old Tenby Cottage Hospital. "The concept of cottage hospitals was developed in the 1850s, as the brainchild of Albert Napper, at one time a surgeon in St. Thomas' Hospital in London, who had long seen the need for in-patient care for patients unable to travel," said Mrs. Hardcastle. "Here we are today, some 150 years on, providing state-of-the-art modern facilities for our local community in the community." For the record, the first Tenby Cottage Hospital was opened on Friday, September 22, 1871. A booklet recording its history and sponsored by the League of Friends of Tenby Cottage Hospital was published in 1971 to celebrate the centenary. The link with the League of Friends continues; they have sponsored a sensory garden for the use of patients, as well as a large planted area as a memory garden for those members of the league who are sadly no longer with us. "Over the last year, the working partnership between Pembrokeshire Local Health Board, Pembrokeshire and Derwen NHS Trust and Park House Court has evolved and developed as we have learnt to work together," added Mrs. Hardcastle. The latest Tenby Cottage Ward occupies the ground floor of the new building. The 10 beds are provided in spacious single rooms, each has its own en suite wet room, while among other features are telephones in each bedroom, which can make and receive calls, and flat screen TVs. Five of the bedrooms have patio doors for easy access to the garden, and also have overhead hoist tracking systems. Comfortable chairs for both patients and their visitors are also included. Loop facilities are provided in three areas. Other services available will be daily newspapers, weekly hairdresser, manicurist, library trolley service, and social activities. The chaplainry services provided to the old hospital will be extended to the new ward. The lounge and dining room are bright and airy, with more doors on to the garden. The food will be freshly cooked by the Park House chef and his team, providing a choice meal as well as catering for specific dietary requirements. "The core team of staff on the ward will all be Park House staff who have all had additional training that complements our ongoing training programme and these staff will work closely with the multi- disciplinary rehabilitation team, based at Tenby Cottage Hospital at Gas Lane, to assist in patients' recovery," said Mrs. Hardcastle. "This working of the independent sector and the NHS is being watched closely as an innovative way of providing in-beds in the community where they are needed." The upstairs beds are being used by Park House Court to develop two new specialist units. Lighthouse Ward will care for those with complex physical needs, eg. brain acquired injuries, neurological diseases etc. Harbour Ward will provide end of life palliative care beds for patients in the palliative stage of an illness. The two wards will have a very high staff to patient ratio along with all the facilities that are available in the Tenby Cottage Ward. The staff are looking forward to caring for patients in this marvellous new building; which we hope will meet the increasing needs of our local community, as it complements the service already provided in the present building. Caldey, Monkstone and Marros wards provide elderly care facilities with Bunny's meeting the needs of those clients with dementia type illnesses. GKV Developments with Chalcroft Developments have worked closely with Park House throughout this year, with much of the work and fitting out carried out by local firms and tradespeople. The gardens are being landscaped at present and the rain we have had is enabling the grass seed to grow very quickly without being watered.

shining example of innovate partnership

Said acting chief executive of Pembrokeshire and Derwen NHS Trust Caroline Oakley and chief executive of Pembrokeshire Local Health Board Bernardine Rees: "Tenby Cottage Ward at Park House Court is a shining example of innovate partnership working between the NHS and the independent sector which is helping to provide modern and sustainable healthcare services locally and much closer to the patient's home. "Along with the newly-opened South Pembrokeshire, Health and Social Care Resource Centre and the new Tenby Cottage Hospital, this initiative is at the heart of the objective to provide better quality healthcare in the community, a trend that we anticipate will continue as further investment is made into improving healthcare services locally. "The challenge in Pembrokeshire is to make sure that people have access to the best quality services, wherever possible, close to their homes and so the completion of construction work at Park House Court in record time is very pleasing indeed." • FOOTNOTE: The Parker family who own Park House Court have pledged their support to St. Mary Out Liberty Community Council in their campaign against the proposed electoral boundary changes.