Progress is made with the Health Board’s Clinical Services Plan

Hywel Dda University Health Board will take more time to work with representative patients, partner organisations and staff, as it continues to develop options for services within the Clinical Services Plan.

At Hywel Dda University Health Board’s public meeting, held on the 25 July 2024 at Ceredigion County Council chambers in Aberaeron, Board members were presented with an update on the progress of the Clinical Services Plan.

The plan focuses on nine services: Critical Care, Emergency General Surgery, Stroke, Endoscopy, Radiology, Dermatology, Ophthalmology, Orthopaedics and Urology.

Recommendations for options to change these services were due to be made at the next Health Board meeting in September 2024, but this will now take place on 28 November 2024. This will allow for important additional information to be gathered from staff teams, including a mix of clinical, operation, support staff and other stakeholder representatives, such as Llais.

Mark Henwood, Interim Medical Director at Hywel Dda, emphasised the importance of gathering comprehensive information to ensure the best possible series of options for how the nine services could be changed in the future.  He said, “As part of our approach, we need to ensure we consider all the information gathered. If we feel that this requires additional time with our feedback groups, then we will prioritise this. We are aiming for a series of options for our nine service areas to be presented to the Board in November. ”

The Board heard how the programme is working with different staff, patients, public representatives, and partner organisations. Several workshops have been held during recent months. People taking part have considered what is important (hurdle criteria – the minimum criteria that should be met) and possible options to improve each of the service areas being considered in the Clinical Service Plan.

Mr Henwood said: “The Health Board remains committed to involving staff, patients, and stakeholders throughout this process and will continue to provide updates as the Clinical Services Plan progresses.”

For more information and ongoing updates, please visit the Hywel Dda University Health Board’s dedicated website : https://hduhb.nhs.wales/about-us/healthier-mid-and-west-wales/clinical-services-plan/.Those interested in participating in future engagement or would like to keep up to date with the health board’s work on the Clinical Services Plan, can join the Hywel Dda engagement scheme: https://hduhb.nhs.wales/healthcare/services-and-teams/siarad-iechyd-talking-health/.