Labour’s Health Minister Edwina Hart today announced more than £100million investment in new buildings and equipment to mark the 60th anniversary of the NHS.
The funding includes:
- £66million for a new 128-bed hospital in Mountain Ash, including a 16-chair dentistry facility to provide NHS treatment for up to 10,000 people. This will be supported by new primary care centres in Mountain Ash and Aberdare.
- More than £25million of the funding will be used to re-develop and improve the units at Wrexham-Maelor Hospital for adults and older people living with mental health conditions.
- The approval of the latest plans to replace and enhance facilities at the North Wales Cancer Centre backed by more than £12million.
These developments will be funded by the Welsh Assembly Government.
Commenting on the investment, Mrs Hart said: “The NHS has seen significant investment in recent years in more staff, new equipment and buildings which has resulted in better and faster treatment for patients and improved working environment for staff. New state-of-art mental health facilities will greatly improve the care on offer to people living with mental health conditions, which will help to aid their recovery and quality of life. I am pleased to be able to approve the final plans for the development and visit the site of the new units.
”This is on top of the investment I announced recently on the plans to develop a purpose-built unit for children and adolescents with mental health conditions that will be built in Abergele meaning children and young people with have access to these important services closer to home. This latest investment shows my commitment to continually improving services for patients. It is fitting as we mark the 60th anniversary of the NHS that we are investing in its future.
“Indeed, many would have unimagined they type of treatment and facilities that would be available in today’s NHS. The latest £12million plans for the replacement of two linear accelerators and a CT scanner at the North Wales Cancer Centre have been approved. This development will again mean that patients will continue to receive treatment locally in North Wales to reduce the need to travel, which will help reduce pressure on patients and speed up recovery.
“The new Mountain Ash hospital will improve access to healthcare services locally for patients. It will have access to diagnostic tests, maternity services and minor injuries unit, reducing the need for people to travel for treatment.”
