Patients and visitors will soon be seeing PCSOs on their hospital trips as a successful scheme is rolled out across the Hywel Dda Health Board area.

For the last 14 months PCSO Gary Payne has been based at Prince Philip Hospital in Llanelli dealing with reports of missing people, minor RTCs on hospital grounds and welfare concerns.

There is now a PCSO presence at all the health board’s main hospitals including Withybush Hospital.

The rationale behind basing PCSOs at hospitals across Hywel Dda University Health Board came from data reviews, which show hospitals are regularly in the top 10 call locations to the police.

The aim is to reassure patients, staff and visitors, to safeguard vulnerable people within the community who visit the hospital, to provide a quicker response from an officer on the grounds, and reduce the number of calls made from the premises.

Dyfed-Powys Police Chief Superintendent Claire Parmenter said: “An analysis of calls made to Dyfed-Powys Police indicated that a high volume are received from hospitals. To provide extra support to our health partners, increase our visibility and to address the calls, we decided to trial a PCSO with a permanent base at Prince Philip Hospital. This has been deemed a success, and this increased service will now be provided at our other hospitals within Hywel Dda University Health Board.”

Phil Lloyd, Security and Case Manager for Hywel Dda University Health Board, said: “We are pleased to work in partnership with Dyfed-Powys Police on the PCSOs at hospitals scheme across the Hywel Dda area.

“This excellent example of collaborative working will provide better protection for patients, staff and the public.”

To contact your local officer, ask at the hospital reception. To report a non-urgent crime, or for advice, call 101. Dial 999 in an emergency.