Patients from a Bronglais hospital ward which has been shut down while emergency repairs are made to the roof will be cared for at an Aberystwyth care home. Hywel Dda University Health Board said it is working with Ceredigion County Council to “provide care for patients due to the temporary closure of Meurig Ward at Bronglais Hospital while emergency repairs are made to the ward roof.”
Hafan y Waun Residential Care Home in Aberystwyth will now be used to support patients ready to be discharged from hospital.
The temporary move over to a separate wing of Hafan y Waun, which will be run by the health board, is expected to be complete by 22 July.
The move follows a decision to temporarily close Meurig Ward (Oncology and Gastroenterology) following concerns that a water leak could impact on patient care at the 14-bed ward.
Work has begun on the emergency repair work and is expected to take around three months to complete.
A ward is being set up in a separate area of Hafan y Waun for Hywel Dda’s exclusive use until the early autumn months.
The working name for the unit will be “Y Bwa – Hafan y Waun”.
Patient care will be in the hands of the team who currently run Y Banwy Ward at Bronglais.
Matthew Willis, General Manager of Bronglais Hospital said: “We have been looking at a number of options and following careful consideration about possible impact on patients and staff we have decided that using the space at Hafan y Waun is the best option.
“I would also like to thank everyone who has helped support the delivery of patient care since the Meurig Ward beds were closed and for their continued support for the delivery of patient care.
“The next two weeks will be a very busy time as we prepare for transfer to Hafan y Waun, but once achieved, we should be able to better balance our demand with our capacity while we await Meurig Ward’s reopening.”
“Caring for our patients is of utmost importance to us and we are sorry for any disruption that these emergency repair works will cause to our patients and their families, visitors, and staff.”
Councillor Alun Williams, Deputy Leader of Ceredigion County Council and Cabinet Member responsible for Through Age Wellbeing, said: “We have been exploring options to support Hywel Dda with maintaining safe services while emergency roof repairs are being carried out.
“An area within Hafan y Waun has been identified to enable this to progress and provides a clear separation between the care home and the temporary health wing, ensuring that all residents and patients are able to maintain dignity and privacy within their own environment.
“Within the care home the Registered Manager and Assistant Manager will be communicating directly with all residents and families and supporting them during this time.
“At such a challenging time for the public sector it’s increasingly important that the Council and the Health Board work closely together locally to maintain services.”