HYWEL DDA UNIVERSITY HEALTH BOARD wants to increase capacity for birthing mothers and improve the environment for labour ward, maternity theatres and Special Care Baby Unit as part of the Phase Two project at Glangwili Hospital.
The health board is currently working on plans for the capital development project, which it hopes to submit to the Welsh Government for outline business case approval in September.
Benefits of the scheme would include providing purpose built facilities within some current space occupied by labour ward and Special Care Baby Unit and on a new first floor development on a courtyard just behind the main hospital reception.
Improvements as part of the scheme would include:
- An additional two birthing rooms (seven in total) in labour ward, including provision for twin births and water births
- Dedicated provision for bereaved families, in the most suitable location on labour ward
- Additional capacity for maternity theatres for emergency and planned caesarean sections
- A dedicated high dependency theatre bay co-located with recovery area
- An improved environment for special care babies and their families including a high dependency room with four cots, a nursery with eight cots and two single rooms for infection control purposes
- An improved family rest room with beverage facilities in the Special Care Baby Unit
- Bigger rooms for parents to stay overnight, all based within the Special Care Unit itself, with double beds and en-suite facilities
- Dedicated bereavement area on the Special Care Baby Unit
- Improved staff facilities throughout
The health board has been out and about in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire engaging on the project with staff, mothers and families, as well as special interest groups such as bereaved parents and disability and sensory impairment groups.
In nearly all events, questions were raised over whether the project would increase bed numbers and create more space for mothers, babies and families.
Chief Executive and Senior Responsible Officer for the project Steve Moore said: “This capital project is all about ensuring we have the right environment, with enough beds and treatment space, to a high specification. It’s about improving the experience of care for our mothers, partners and babies.
“We have particularly looked at current and projected future demands on these services to ensure we have the optimum space to provide the care that is needed now and into the future.”
The health board has worked with staff and service users on specific facilities required for the development (schedules of accommodation) and on initial drawings provided by the design team.
Mr Moore said: “We have received some really useful and insightful feedback which is being considered and integrated into the scheme wherever possible and we will continue to do this for the duration of the project.”
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