A call for clarity over the plans for the new general hospital to serve Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire is being made by Senedd member Samuel Kurtz.

 The Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire member has called for more detail to be provided on the timeframes surrounding the building of the new facility, due to be constructed in either St Clears or Whitland.

A response from the Welsh Government's cabinet secretary for health and wellbeing, Eluned Morgan,  to a written question from Mr  Kurtz failed to offer any indication of dates.

The response stated that locations were still being considered and it was too early to suggest a likely time scale for a decision to be reached.

A proposed location for the hospital was narrowed down to the two options at a meeting of the Hywel Dda University Health Board last September.

The then chair, Maria Battle, said at the time:  “Never has it been more urgent that we in west Wales have a new hospital that is fit for purpose and fit for the future; let’s keep pushing forward to realise the vision that everyone in west Wales wants.”

Services relocated

Plans for a new hospital were first mooted in 2006, as services from Withybush began being relocated elsewhere.

Mr Kurtz said: “This lack of clarity on the future of hospital services in Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire continues to frustrate myself, patients, and hardworking staff.

“The response received from the cabinet secretary does not provide any indication of dates or timeframes for a decision to be made on the preferred site, let alone a timeframe for the new facility to be built.

"Hospital reorganisation cloud"

“For 18 years, residents in west Wales have had this hospital reorganisation cloud hanging over them, as Labour’s plans saw downgrade after downgrade yet no sign of investment.

“It is not good enough and urgent action needs to be taken by both the Welsh Government and the health board, to provide much needed clarity and certainty to this situation.”