Clwyd West MS and Shadow Minister for North Wales, Darren Millar, has once again put pressure on the Welsh Government to progress the delivery of the North Denbighshire Community Hospital.
The Welsh Government announced back in 2013 that a new hospital would be built in Rhyl to serve North Denbighshire, relieving pressure at the overstretched Ysbyty Glan Clwyd in Bodelwyddan.
Darren has been extremely supportive of plans and has repeatedly challenged Welsh Government Ministers over their failure to get the much-needed facility off the ground.
This week in the Senedd, he raised the matter again.
He said:
“I’d like an update on the delivery of the North Denbighshire Community Hospital.
“There have been some positive developments of late, in that I know there have been discussions taking place between the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, Denbighshire County Council and the Welsh Government, about getting that project back into the pipeline.
“It's over a decade since a new hospital was promised. We were told in 2016 that it would be delivered within three years. It's now 2024. We've just started the new year and I think people in north Denbighshire, and, indeed, the other parts of the North Wales coast that this hospital will serve are looking for some good news.”
The Trefnydd and Minister for North Wales, Lesley Griffiths MS, replied:
“I know there have been further discussions with Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and the Minister for Health and Social Services's officials. I will ask her - I don't think it appropriate for an oral statement, but I will certainly ask her, if there is further information, to write to you.”
Speaking afterwards, Darren said:
“The people of North Denbighshire and beyond have waited far too long for the delivery of this hospital.
“My Welsh Conservatives colleagues and I have been putting continual pressure on the Welsh Government to ensure that this project goes ahead and have been fobbed off time after time. We are now in a New Year and hopefully Ministers in Cardiff Bay will finally recognise the urgent need for this facility and push to get it delivered as soon as possible.
“Glan Clwyd Hospital is hugely overstretched and this hospital will help relieve pressures there and deliver the health service that the residents of North Wales need and deserve.”
