Llanelli Minor Injury Unit consultation
People will be able to share their views on how services are provided at Prince Philip Hospital’s Minor Injury Unit (MIU), in a public consultation.
A 12-week public consultation will be held from late April or early May, Hywel Dda University Health Board agreed at a Board meeting today (Thursday).
The MIU, which provides treatment for minor injuries such as cuts, sprains and minor burns, has been operating with changed opening hours, since November 2024. This has involved the opening hours being 12-hours (8am-8pm), as opposed to 24/7, primarily due to staffing, quality and safety concerns.
The Health Board will now consult with staff, the local community and stakeholders on four proposed options for the future of the service.
They are:
- Option 1 - Doctor-led 12 hours (current temporary model)
- Option 2 - Doctor-led 14 hours
- Option 3 - Doctor-led phased (initially 12 hours, increasing to 14 hours, then 24 hours as staffing allows)
- Option 4 - Urgent care centre (Same Day Urgent Care type model) 14 hours
People will have an opportunity to share their views on the proposed options and impacts they may have, as well as propose alternative options.
This decision to go to formal consultation was made during today’s Public Board meeting and follows a series of engagement workshops with stakeholders. Those attending included representative staff, patients and campaign groups.
They considered a longer list of 12 options and scored them, based on criteria such as safety, sustainability, and patient focus, resulting in four options for consultation.
Mark Henwood, Interim Executive Medical Director, encouraged the community to get involved;
“We understand how important this service is to the people of Llanelli, and we are committed to providing a solution that meets the needs of the community while ensuring safe, high-quality care. We want to work together to make the right decision. Your involvement will be invaluable in helping us make the right decision for the future.”
In the meantime, the current temporary opening hours at the MIU, of 8.00am-8.00pm will continue. If you live in, near, or are visiting Llanelli and have a minor injury in the daytime, you can continue to walk into the Minor Injury Unit at Prince Philip Hospital.
The hospital's Acute Medical Assessment Unit (AMAU) is unaffected by these changes. It still provides 24 hour a day treatment for very sick adult medical patients, such as those who have suffered a stroke or heart attack. The service must be accessed via 999, 111 or GP referral.
If your minor injury occurs between 8.00pm and 8.00am and cannot wait until the next day, please use:
• the NHS Wales symptom checker online https://111.wales.nhs.uk/selfassessments/ (opens in new tab)
• or call NHS 111 Wales for advice (choose option 2 for mental health support)
• In a life-threatening emergency, whether you are an adult, young person, or for a child, always dial 999.
More information about the consultation, including launch date, and where community events will take place, will be announced shortly. You can keep up-to-date on our MIU page here (opens in new tab).
An update will be provided to the Health Board meeting in July 2025. Following conscientious consideration of the consultation and its findings, the Board will consider all feedback and evidence collected before making a final decision, planned for the Board meeting in September 2025.
Mr Henwood added: “The Health Board is committed to ensuring that future provision at the MIU provides safe, sustainable, and equitable care for the community.”