Health Board to decide on future model for nine clinical services
23 January 2026
Hywel Dda University Health Board will hold an Extraordinary Board meeting on 18 and 19 February 2026 to consider the future model for nine services included in the Clinical Services Plan.
The Health Board recently consulted with its communities on options for change in critical care, dermatology, emergency general surgery, endoscopy, ophthalmology, orthopaedics, stroke, radiology and urology. The options aim to address service fragilities, improve standards and reduce waiting times for people in need of diagnosis and treatment.
Mark Henwood, Executive Medical Director said: “We know that these services are fragile and cannot continue as they are. Our clinical teams are spread across multiple sites and recruitment is an issue across the NHS. Our hospitals require ongoing maintenance, with some parts approaching or having reached the end of their intended lifespan. We need to make decisions on the changes needed to address these fragilities, so our services raise standards and meet the needs of our population into the future.”
An independent consultation report prepared by Opinion Research Services (ORS) has now been received and is available to read on the Health Board’s website (opens in new tab). The report summarises feedback from the public consultation, including more than 4,000 questionnaire responses alongside views gathered at public events, staff meetings and stakeholder sessions. Over 4,000 people also attended Health Board events and meetings during the consultation to share their views.
At its meeting in February, the Board will consider the consultation report alongside a wide range of other information. This includes an overview of what has changed since the Issues Paper was published in March 2024. The Issues Paper set out the challenges facing the nine clinical services and why change was needed. The update brings together the latest information on workforce and service resilience, estate condition, operational pressures, regional working, new clinical standards and how services link to each other.
The Board will also review refreshed impact assessments. Impact assessments explain the likely effects of changes on people, services and the environment, and how any negative impacts could be reduced. These include Equality Impact Assessments (EqIAs), which consider how changes might affect people with protected characteristics and Welsh language needs, and Quality Impact Assessments (QIAs), which consider potential effects on patient safety, effectiveness and experience. Health, environmental and climate sustainability impacts will also be considered, alongside transport analysis for emergency transfers and non‑emergency patient transport, and programme assessments for capital, workforce and finance.
As part of the decision-making process, proposals will be assessed on whether they are clinically sustainable, deliverable, accessible, aligned to the Health Board’s long-term strategy, and financially sustainable. In some options, the Board may need to make provisional decisions that require further engagement or additional information before a final option is agreed. The Board will also consider how the changes can be implemented and whether this will need to be in phases, over time.
The Health Board has worked with clinical leaders to develop options, and consultation feedback is a vital part of this process. Alongside the options consulted on, the Board will also consider alternative ideas that were proposed during the consultation. Decisions will take into account all this information, including what people have told us, clinical evidence, and supporting analysis such as patient data, travel insights, and impact assessments.
Dr Neil Wooding, Chair of Hywel Dda University Health Board, said: “Thank you to everyone who shared their views during the consultation. The Board will be carefully considering the independent ORS consultation report alongside the latest evidence and impact assessments.
“The consultation report provides an important foundation for our discussions, but it is one of several factors that we must consider. We have a responsibility to weigh public feedback together with clinical evidence, workforce considerations, sustainability challenges and the need for services to meet the highest possible standards. As we move into the next stage, it is vital that the decisions we make are for the benefit of all our communities across Hywel Dda and neighbouring areas.
“We must also ensure that our decisions deliver clear public value and support the best possible patient outcomes. As a Health Board, we have a statutory responsibility to provide the best possible services for our communities, and any decisions we make must support that responsibility without setting an unhelpful precedent for the future.
“These decisions will shape our services for the longer term, so it is essential that we take the time needed to reach well informed, balanced conclusions. Above all, we must ensure that the services we provide meet people’s needs, both now and into the future.”
The Extraordinary Board meeting will take place over two days, on Wednesday 18 and Thursday 19 February 2026. This will give Board members the time needed to review the evidence, understand the connections between services, identify if further information is required and reach decisions that best serve our communities.
Lee Davies, Executive Director of Strategy and Planning, said: “The Clinical Services Plan is about strengthening services and improving outcomes. Community and staff feedback helps us focus on what matters most to people, while programme assessments show what is practical and safe to deliver. Together, we will identify changes we can make now, those that need more detailed planning and where further engagement is the right next step.”
You can read more about the Clinical Services Plan, including the full ORS consultation report here: Clinical services plan - Hywel Dda University Health Board (opens in new tab)
The Extraordinary Board meeting will be broadcast online. Board papers and a link to the meeting will be available on the Health Board’s website a week in advance: Board meetings 2026 - Hywel Dda University Health Board (opens in new tab)