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Llanelli patient praises Prince Philip's Acute Medical Assessment Unit

medical staff standing with patient, looking to camera

17 March 2025 

A Llanelli COPD and emphysema patient has praised the life-saving service she received at Prince Philip Hospital’s Acute Medical Assessment Unit (AMAU). The AMAU in Prince Philip Hospital deals with medical emergencies including circulation issues, stroke and breathing problems.  

Michelle Bennett from Llanelli was admitted to the AMAU earlier this year as an emergency patient. 

Michelle said, “I was brought into the AMAU by ambulance, but I was so unwell I really don’t remember anything about it. My COPD and emphysema meant I couldn’t breathe, and I needed to be treated urgently. With my condition, if the AMAU hadn’t been here, I wouldn’t be here now.” 

The AMAU is able to accept and admit patients who are referred to the service through their GP, 111, 999 or those brought in by ambulance. It is not a walk-in service. The unit makes sure that patients, who are seriously unwell with life threatening conditions, receive safe and effective treatment for acute issues including heart problems, sepsis, circulation issues, stroke and respiratory conditions. 

Michelle has found that the traffic where she lives can make her condition worse, and she has been admitted to the AMAU on a number of occasions.  

“Sometimes I’ve been sent here by my GP, other times by the 111 service, and I’ve also been seen in the Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) unit. The SDEC were able to treat me straight away and immediately let me go home, but another time they needed to send me on to stay in the AMAU.” 

Prince Philip Hospital’s Clinical Lead for the Acute Medical Assessment Unit, Dr Scott O’Rourke, said: 

“We have a dedicated team of resident doctors, nurses and consultants covering the AMAU and while the opening hours of the Minor Injury Unit have changed, we are open 24/7. There are many other patients like Michelle who rely on our services, and it is so important that they are in the right place to receive the life-saving treatment they need. Michelle is in the right place for the treatment she needs.”  
 
Speaking of her treatment, Michelle said:  

“I was put on oxygen and have been using a non-invasive ventilation (NIV) machine every night to give me help with breathing. The doctors, nurses, domestics – the whole team have been amazing, fantastic! They’ve gone above and beyond. It’s so great to have a service like this close by.” 

Wendy Rees - Respiratory Nurse Specialist, Michelle – patient, Dr Scott O’Rourke – Consultant Physician and Clinical Lead for the Acute Medical Assessment Unit,  Dr Charlotte James, Resident Doctor 

Rebecca Noot is the Senior Sister on the AMAU ward, speaking of Michelle’s treatment she said,  

“Michelle has progressed well after her initial admission. We looked after her care from her arrival by ambulance in the Resuscitation area. AMAU has a dedicated resuscitation bay which is equipped to support all medical emergencies and patients who are acutely unwell, requiring high level of nursing care. We are a team of very experienced and skilled nurses, who provide high standards of care, striving to ensure that communication with the patients and wider multi-disciplinary team is seamless. She was then able to move onto our adjoining respiratory ward for more focussed treatment. The integration of our adjoining services ensures we can keep the flow of our 24 beds running smoothly.” 

In January of 2025 the Prince Philip Hospital AMAU treated 456 patients (roughly the same as previous months).   

  •  If you are unwell and unsure what to do, you can use the NHS Wales symptom checker online: https://111.wales.nhs.uk/selfassessments 

  • or call NHS 111 Wales for advice (choose option 2 for mental health support) 

  • call your GP 

  • In a life-threatening emergency, whether you are an adult, young person, or for a child, always dial 999. 

 

ENDS