PATIENTS attending Llanelli’s Prince Philip Hospital in an emergency can expect to be treated in a brand new purpose-built unit at the back of the hospital site from this week.
But a local councillor says that this unit “is the presentation of a bitter pill with a false sugar coating”.
Dr Sian Caiach says that the A&E has been “permanently taken away and replaced by a partial service of minor injury and illness treatment and selective admissions of sick patients.”
The Acute Medical Assessment Unit (AMAU) – which is part of the health board’s £1.4m Front of House Project at Prince Philip – will officially opened its doors to patients on Wednesday 6 April, having undergone trials over the past few weeks.
A new Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) is also opening for patients via the old A&E entrance at the front of the hospital.
This is run by GPs and Emergency Nurse Practitioners working together, and can treat patients with a range of problems from muscle and joint injuries to burns and scalds, minor head injuries, minor eye injuries and more.
Senior doctors and nurses in the AMAU will see patients with a wide range of problems including strokes and chest conditions.
Patients go straight there if they come to hospital by ambulance or through their GP. Patients can also be seen there who come to the MIU if they need medical care from senior doctors. If necessary the ambulance will take you straight there or your GP will tell you where you need to go.
The new AMAU features two resus bays, a fast positive stroke bed, assessment area / reception and lobby, and a six-bed monitored step-down area. It also sports a new ambulance entrance with a canopy and an AMAU reception area.
Dr Robin Ghosal, Clinical Lead for Prince Philip Hospital, said: “This is an exciting time for us. The launch of the new AMAU and MIU will modernise the way patients with acute medical illnesses or minor injuries are assessed and treated.
“What’s particularly good about the Front of House project is that we have all come at it from different angles, and what is exciting is that all of our angles are aligned in the end with one aim – to provide highquality care for patients with acute medical illnesses or with minor injuries.
“We couldn’t have got to this point without the support of local residents, community representatives, including the Community Health Council and Rural Council, and members of lobby groups, and I would again like to thank them for their support and input.”
Speaking to The Herald on Thursday Dr Sian Caiach said: “As an Assembly candidate, local Councillor, and member of SOSPAN (the local campaign to retain medical services), I would say that this is the presentation of a bitter pill with a false sugar coating. The A&E has been permanently taken away and replaced by a partial service of minor injury and illness treatment and selective admissions of sick patients from Llanelli to the stand alone medical unit as not all medical conditions are suitable for the unit – if you call 999 in Llanelli you will most likely be taken to Glangwili but if referred by your GP with certain likely diagnoses, you may well get admitted to PPH.
“The loss of specialisms and surgical backup, now only available now at Glangwili means that it would be dangerous to admit anyone likely to require extra treatment. A full intensive care unit has also been removed from prince Philip Hospital, leaving less capacity to treat the very sick.
“It does keep the treatment of a fair number of sick people in a local hospital but the Hospital is effectively downgraded and has been slowly stripped of various services over the past two decades. This is a big smack in the face for Llanelli, the most populous town and area served by Hywel Dda University Health Board.”
Speaking to The Herald on Thursday Dr Sian Caiach said: “As an Assembly candidate, local Councillor, and member of SOSPAN (the local campaign to retain medical services), I would say that this is the presentation of a bitter pill with a false sugar coating. The A&E has been permanently taken away and replaced by a partial service of minor injury and illness treatment and selective admissions of sick patients from Llanelli to the stand alone medical unit as not all medical conditions are suitable for the unit – if you call 999 in Llanelli you will most likely be taken to Glangwili but if referred by your GP with certain likely diagnoses, you may well get admitted to PPH.
“The loss of specialisms and surgical backup, now only available now at Glangwili means that it would be dangerous to admit anyone likely to require extra treatment. A full intensive care unit has also been removed from prince Philip Hospital, leaving less capacity to treat the very sick.
“It does keep the treatment of a fair number of sick people in a local hospital but the Hospital is effectively downgraded and has been slowly stripped of various services over the past two decades. This is a big smack in the face for Llanelli, the most populous town and area served by Hywel Dda University Health Board.”
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