Llandudno hospital’s £48.8m revamp comes a major step closer

Dec 2 2010 by Steve Bagnall, North Wales Weekly News

HEALTH chiefs want nearly £50m to transform Llandudno hospital and another £15m to upgrade A&E units at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd and Ysbyty Gwynedd.

The plan for Llandudno includes a new purpose-built Minor Injuries Unit, a bigger, more modern outpatient department, two new surgical wards and the potential to provide an MRI scanner.

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board last week unveiled their detailed £48.8m blueprint for how they want to upgrade the hospital with better services and facilities.

The draft strategy comes after four years of debates over how the site should be developed, during which public protests were sparked when cutbacks were threatened.

Campaigners have broadly welcomed the 15 key service improvements for Llandudno, which also include better x-ray and ultrasound facilities and a rapid access chest pain clinic.

A new women’s centre would include “diagnostic and symptomatic” breast services, and a rheumatology “hub” would serve patients from across four North Wales counties.

The Board also agreed they want to spend about £15m upgrading the A&E units at Glan Clwyd and Gwynedd hospitals.

But getting the plans finally rubber stamped will depend on how much cash the Assembly Government will allocate to the plans.

In a report Betsi Cadwaladr director of planning Neil Bradshaw said the costings for the hospital had been drawn up against a backdrop of service reviews, reduced funding and possible cuts.

But despite fears the full £48.8m might not be approved, the board hopes a full revamp of the hospital will be completed before 2016.