Orthopaedics
1.130 Orthopaedic services, also known as orthopaedic surgery, focus on the care of the musculoskeletal system and its parts (bones, joints, ligaments and tendons). The consultation was about planned orthopaedics and not emergency (trauma) orthopaedics. The main challenge in orthopaedic services is that the Health Board needs to increase its activity to bring down long waiting times for patients.
1.131 Currently, orthopaedic services are provided from Bronglais, Glangwili, Prince Philip, and Withybush. As well as the main hospital services, orthopaedic outpatient clinics are provided at Cardigan Integrated Care Centre and Tenby Hospital, and staff provide outpatient clinics at Tywyn Hospital, run by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board to reduce travel for some patients.
1.132 Hywel Dda outlined four different options for how orthopaedic services could be delivered. In all proposed options, all sites would continue to provide outpatient services. Bronglais, Prince Philip, and Withybush would continue to provide day cases. Bronglais and Prince Philip would continue to provide inpatient surgery and community sites would retain their current services.
Table 6: Consultation options – orthopaedic services
23 Working in partnership with Swansea Bay University Health Board for their patients who may need to access care in Prince Philip, or for Hywel Dda patients who may need to access care in Neath Port Talbot for certain procedures.