HYWEL Dda University Health Board is proposing major changes to planned cancer services at Withybush Hospital, it has been revealed this evening (Wednesday).

Health Board staff have been meeting with charities and others about planned changes to the development of a Chemotherapy Day Unit (CDU) at the hospital.

Hywel Dda University Health Board is proposing to move away from the previously explored option of developing a new CDU alongside the oncology facility on Ward 10.

Instead, it plans to place it on the current Ward 5 and former Special Care Baby Unit.

The Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) was removed as part of controversial changes to the hospital.

Creating the CDU on the site of the former SCBU would seemingly make it less likely that those SCBU services could return to the hospital in the future.

The Health Board said the new plan “would allow for development of a more appropriate environment tailored for patients at different stages of the disease.”

The new scheme would also reduce the size of the CDU from the original scheme.

However, the Health Board said that when combined with the refurbishment of Ward 10 during a later phase, the overall space for oncology services will actually be greater than the original scheme, and far greater than the current footprint.

Consultant Oncologist Delia Pudney, who works across ABMU and Hywel Dda health boards, said: “This scheme has the benefit of providing us with an environment which allows us to deliver appropriate environment for care at different stages of the disease and to suit an individuals’ needs. For example, it is not necessarily preferable to have a patient undergoing chemotherapy in the same area as our palliative care patients who may be inpatients.”

The new scheme, which will be discussed with staff and key stakeholders for their views, has the potential to be delivered more quickly due to Ward 5 being empty, the Health Board stated.

A statement from the Health Board, added; “It would include enough space to provide a much improved facility for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy whilst at the same time protecting prime medical space next to Ward 10 for medical services. This is necessary to allow for the expansion of medical beds in the hospital overall, and improve the medical day unit, discharge lounge and surgical and gynaecological facilities, providing wide reaching benefits for patients of Pembrokeshire and attracting clinical staff to the hospital.”

Interim Hospital Clinical Lead for Withybush Hospital Dr Iain Robertson Steel said: “As a hospital unit we are planning future development of all our services so that together they provide the maximum benefit to our patients and population and that they secure a bright and long term future for our hospital.

“We believe by allocating this space for the CDU we can develop a really attractive environment in which to provide chemotherapy for our local patients, whilst also maximising use of a prime medical location for medical beds for our population.

“We are now seeking the views of staff and stakeholders as we want to move forward with this development as soon as possible and fulfil our commitment to the public we serve and whom have waited so long for this.”

At the latest public Health Board meeting the new Director of Operations and Deputy Chief Executive Joe Teape agreed a new governance structure for the project and provided a commitment to progressing it with pace.

“This stakeholder event is part of our commitment to work directly with the people who have worked so hard to raise an enormous amount of money to improve cancer facilities in Pembrokeshire,” he said.

“I understand there may be public frustration at the lack of pace and changes in direction of travel but we want to move forward, alongside our key stakeholders, and it has been necessary to do this hand in hand with work on future clinical models in the hospital.”

The new CDU would be purpose built and would include several facilities that are not currently accommodated for, including a dedicated multi-disciplinary room with video conferencing which could reduce the need for staff and potentially patients to travel; increased consultant treatment rooms; and a dedicated patient reception point and additional waiting areas.

Almost £650,000 has been secured to progress the CDU project, with contributions earmarked from Adam’s Bucketful of Hope, Withybush Hospital CDU Appeal and the Health Board’s Pembrokeshire Cancer Services charitable fund.

Following discussions with staff and stakeholders, a financial review will be needed to confirm any outstanding costs of the scheme, which initial estimates indicate could be in the region of just less than £150,000, which the health board would need to secure from discretionary funds.

The Health Board has also earmarked £250,000 from Pembrokeshire Cancer Services fund for Ward 10 developments, but further finance needs to be secured for this development, which would provide a purpose built palliative care unit incorporating haematology and oncology dedicated beds and day care facilities.