Llanelli’s Minor Injuries Unit to become 12‑hour Urgent Care Treatment Centre – no return to 24‑hour service

Instead, the board has agreed to establish a 12‑hour Urgent Care Treatment Centre, bringing together the existing MIU and Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) services into a single, integrated hub.

From 24 hours to 12

The MIU has been operating on reduced hours since November 2024, opening daily from 8am to 8pm after Healthcare Inspectorate Wales raised concerns over overnight safety and staff shortages.

In March, the board considered whether a full 24‑hour rota could be reinstated, but concluded this was not possible. Following a 12‑week consultation earlier this year, which drew hundreds of responses and strong local feeling, four long‑term options were put forward. On Thursday, members opted for the urgent care model (Option 4a).

The new centre will:

• Open 8am–8pm, seven days a week (with staff on site for an additional two hours to close).
• Treat a wider range of urgent but non‑life‑threatening conditions, including minor injuries, minor illnesses, and urgent medical needs that don’t require an overnight stay.
• Provide Same Day Emergency Care currently accessed via GP referral.

📌 Prince Philip Hospital Urgent Care Centre – Key Facts

• Opening hours: 8am–8pm daily (staff on site until 10pm to close)
• Services: Minor injuries (sprains, cuts, burns), minor illnesses (ear/throat infections, mild allergic reactions), urgent medical needs (e.g. severe headaches, cellulitis, diabetes flare-ups)
• What it replaces: Existing Minor Injuries Unit and Same Day Emergency Care services combined
• Why: Staffing shortages mean a safe 24‑hour rota is not possible
• Timeline: New centre expected within 6–12 months; six‑month evaluation once open
• Emergency care: A&E services remain at Glangwili (Carmarthen) and Morriston (Swansea)

Board voices

Professor Phil Kloer, Chief Executive, thanked staff, campaigners and the public for their input:

“We are looking to maintain a high‑quality service that is safe, sustainable, accessible and kind, that meets the needs of the people of Llanelli for the future.”

Mark Henwood, Executive Medical Director, described the decision as a “milestone”:

“We look forward to now implementing and delivering safe, sustainable minor injury and urgent care at Prince Philip Hospital.”

Campaigners respond

Local campaign group SOSPPAN (Save Our Services Prince Philip Action Network), which has long fought to protect services at the hospital, welcomed the outcome.

Chair Deryk Cundy said:

“We are pleased with the Board’s decision to support an Urgent Care Centre. We believe this new and enhanced service, combined with an effective 111 phone triage, will provide a service that is fit for now and the future.”

He added that SOSPPAN would continue to press for accessible mental health provision in Llanelli.

Why the change was needed

As Swansea Bay News has previously reported, the MIU’s overnight closure was introduced in late 2024 after inspectors raised safety concerns. The consultation confirmed that the previous 24‑hour model could not be reinstated safely or sustainably.

Dr Jon Morris, clinical lead for minor injuries, said the new model would reduce the number of patients redirected elsewhere:

“We have managed to recruit staff recently, but nowhere near enough to go back to a 24‑hour service.”

Next steps

• The new Urgent Care Treatment Centre is expected to be delivered within 6–12 months, allowing time for recruitment and infrastructure changes.
• The health board has committed to a six‑month evaluation once the service is up and running, looking at patient experience, outcomes, transport and staffing.
• In the meantime, the MIU will continue to operate 8am–8pm daily.

Patients needing emergency care overnight will continue to be directed to Glangwili Hospital in Carmarthen or Morriston Hospital in Swansea.

The Welsh Government said it had not been consulted on the proposals in advance, but stressed that responsibility for safe and sustainable services lies with local NHS organisations.

Related coverage

Llanelli’s Minor Injury Unit faces crunch decision
Health board warned staffing shortages could prevent a return to 24‑hour cover.

Health board lays out options for Llanelli MIU
Four long‑term models put forward for consultation earlier this year.

Councillor warns against further service losses in Llanelli
Local representatives raised concerns about the impact of reduced hours.

Final days to have your say on Llanelli MIU
Hundreds of residents responded to the 12‑week consultation.

#DerykCundy #featured #HywelDdaNHS #HywelDdaUniversityHealthBoard #Llanelli #MinorInjuriesUnit #MIU #PrincePhilipHospital #SaveOurServicesPrincePhilipActionNetwork #SOSPPANCampaign #UrgentCare #UrgentCareTreatmentCentre

Llanelli’s Minor Injury Unit faces crunch decision as Health Board weighs future

The unit has been running on reduced hours since November 2024, closing overnight after inspectors warned of safety risks and staff shortages. Campaigners say the community has already lost too many services at Prince Philip Hospital — and fear this could be the thin end of the wedge.

A 12‑week consultation earlier this year drew more than 700 formal responses and a petition of over 10,000 signatures calling for the MIU to be protected. Public meetings were often heated, with residents warning that further downgrading would leave people in Llanelli dangerously exposed.

Deryk Cundy, Chair of the Save Our Services Prince Philip Action Network (SOSPPAN), said:

“The MIU plays a crucial role in supporting the health and wellbeing of people in Llanelli. The strength of feeling was clear from the petition. But we also recognise the old model was unsustainable, with staff under impossible pressure. What we need now is a solution that strengthens services, not strips them away.”

The Health Board says it has listened to the community, with four official options on the table and six more suggested by consultees. But campaigners remain wary, pointing to a long history of service losses in Llanelli.

Mark Henwood, Executive Medical Director, insisted the process had been “thorough and inclusive”:

“We’ve heard a wide range of perspectives and experiences. This rich picture of what matters to people will be put forward to the Board next week.”

Decision day

The crunch meeting takes place on Thursday 25 September, when the Board will decide whether Llanelli keeps a walk‑in MIU in its current form, sees hours cut further, or moves to a new urgent‑care style model.

Until then, the unit remains open daily from 8am to 8pm. Outside those hours, patients are directed to NHS 111 or emergency services.

For many in Llanelli, the decision will be seen as a test of whether the Health Board is serious about protecting local access to urgent care — or whether another vital service is about to be lost.

Related coverage on Llanelli’s MIU

Consultation ends as decision looms over future services

Councillor warns against further service losses in Llanelli

Campaigners take petition to Senedd over downgrading fears

Final days to have your say on MIU consultation

Health Board lays out options for Llanelli MIU

Board agrees temporary overnight closure of MIU

MIU could close overnight due to staff shortages

#HywelDdaNHS #Llanelli #MinorInjuriesUnit #MIU #MIUConsultation #MIUOptions #PrincePhilipHospital

Llanelli’s Minor Injury Unit consultation ends: Decision looms over future services

The long-running public consultation over the future of the Minor Injury Unit (MIU) at Prince Philip Hospital in Llanelli has officially wrapped. For twelve weeks, the people of Llanelli weighed in on four potential service models — and whether the MIU should continue operating on limited hours or make a return to full-time care.

Launched on 28 April 2025, the consultation drew 729 formal responses and sparked hundreds of conversations through drop-in events, online sessions, and direct meetings with staff and patients. Community groups such as SOSPPAN and Llais helped drive participation, pushing back against fears of a permanent overnight closure.

The MIU has been open daily from 8am to 8pm since November 2024, treating minor injuries like cuts, grazes, sprains, and fractures. But the late-night shutdown has rattled residents — particularly those without easy transport to emergency departments in Swansea or Carmarthen.

“We’ve heard passionate arguments from all sides,” said Mark Henwood, Executive Medical Director. “Now begins a period of conscientious consideration before we present our report in September.”

Health Board options for Llanelli’s Minor Injury Unit

Option 1: 12-hour doctor-led service
Maintain current MIU hours from 8am to 8pm, with no changes to staffing model.

Option 2: Extend to 14-hour service
Expand daily operations to 14 hours if clinical cover allows, improving evening access.

Option 3: Phased return to 24-hour care
Gradual increase from 12 to 14 to 24 hours, depending on workforce recruitment and retention.

Option 4: Urgent Care Centre model
Redesign the MIU into a 14-hour Urgent Care Centre, combining minor injuries with same-day emergency care and diagnostics.

Community-led proposal:
Campaigners have called for a fifth option — full reinstatement of permanent 24-hour Minor Injury Unit services.

Ongoing public concern

Swansea Bay News has chronicled Llanelli’s fight to protect its services, with residents warning that a downgraded MIU risks life-threatening delays. More than 15,000 people signed a petition to the Senedd urging reinstatement of 24-hour access, while elected officials have described the overnight closure as a betrayal of previous health promises.

Councillor Deryk Cundy, chair of SOSPPAN, told Swansea Bay News:

“Over 6,000 people use the unit overnight every year. That’s thousands of moments where swift care made a difference.”

The unit’s staffing pressures sparked widespread scrutiny last year when the Health Board voted to reduce operating hours, with some residents now calling for full restoration — not just partial compromises.

Acute care remains in place

The consultation does not affect the hospital’s Acute Medical Assessment Unit (AMAU), which continues to provide round-the-clock emergency care for seriously ill adults.

One recent patient praised the AMAU’s swift intervention during a breathing emergency: “Staff didn’t hesitate. I walked in, and minutes later I was hooked up and stabilised.”

What comes next?

The Health Board says all community feedback — including alternative suggestions — will be analysed before a final recommendation goes to its public September Board meeting. Until then, walk-in care at the MIU continues between 8am and 8pm, with NHS 111 and 999 services available for overnight needs.

Related articles

Final days to have your say on future of Llanelli’s Minor Injury Unit
A last-minute reminder urging residents to submit feedback before the public consultation closed.

Board agrees temporary overnight closure of Minor Injury Unit in Llanelli
Background on the Health Board’s original decision to reduce MIU hours in November 2024.

Prince Philip Hospital campaigners take petition to Senedd
Coverage of SOSPPAN’s campaign to restore full MIU services, supported by thousands of signatures.

Councillor warns against further service losses in Llanelli
Cllr Deryk Cundy voices fears over long-term erosion of healthcare provision in the town.

#AcuteMedicalAssessmentUnit #emergencyCareLlanelli #healthConsultationWales #HywelDdaHealthBoard #HywelDdaNHS #Llanelli #LlanelliHealthcare #LlanelliMinorInjuryUnit #MinorInjuriesUnit #minorInjuryServices #MIU #MIUConsultation #MIUOptions #NHSWalesServices #overnightCareLlanelli #PrincePhilipHospital #PrincePhilipHospitalLlanelli #SeptemberBoardDecision #SOSPPANCampaign #urgentCareWales

Councillor warns against further service losses in Llanelli amid health board consultation

A Llanelli councillor has warned that the town “cannot afford to lose any more” of its healthcare services, as Hywel Dda University Health Board continues its public consultation on proposed changes to nine clinical services across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire.

Sean Rees, Independent County Councillor for Glanymor Ward, said the current direction of travel—centralising services away from Llanelli—would worsen recruitment challenges and increase pressure on Prince Philip Hospital.

“We have lost enough of our services in Llanelli already that we simply cannot afford to lose any more,” he said. “The constant pressures on our NHS are taking their toll, and much of this has gone unnoticed over the years mainly due to the dedication of health staff on the frontline.”

The health board’s Clinical Services Plan consultation, which runs until Monday 22 July 2025, includes proposals to reconfigure critical care, stroke, emergency general surgery, and minor injuries services. Councillor Rees expressed concern over the potential knock-on effects of proposed changes to Bronglais Hospital’s stroke unit, which could see patients from Ceredigion and north Powys transferred to Llanelli for treatment.

“I am concerned to hear of the proposed change to Bronglais Hospital Stroke Services and the future impact this may have on Prince Philip Hospital with a transfer of patients from the Ceredigion area being treated in Llanelli and the additional pressures that such a move could bring.”

The Bronglais proposal would see the stroke unit downgraded to a ‘Treat and Transfer’ model, with patients stabilised locally before being sent to specialist centres in Llanelli or Haverfordwest. Campaigners and clinicians have warned that this could result in four-hour round trips for families and delays in rehabilitation, particularly for rural patients.

Meanwhile, Prince Philip Hospital continues to face staffing shortages, with its intensive care unit unable to admit the most seriously ill patients due to a lack of consultants. Patients requiring level-three care are currently transferred to Glangwili Hospital in Carmarthen, placing further strain on regional services.

The hospital’s Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) has also been a flashpoint for public concern. In May 2024, the health board agreed to a temporary overnight closure due to staffing pressures, prompting protests and a petition to the Senedd from campaigners who say the move undermines public trust and puts lives at risk.

In April 2025, the board launched a 12-week consultation on four options for the MIU’s future, including full restoration of overnight services, continued temporary closure, or permanent overnight closure. Campaigners from Sosppan (Save Our Services Prince Philip Hospital Action Network) have called for a return to 24-hour care to be reinstated as a formal option.

“Instead of a tick the box exercise, a serious discussion now needs to take place which prioritises both patient care and the needs of staff working in our NHS,” said Councillor Rees.

The health board says the consultation is designed to address service fragility and improve standards, but critics argue that changes are already being implemented before public feedback has been fully considered.

Residents can respond to the consultation via Hywel Dda’s website or attend local drop-in events before the deadline on Monday 22 July 2025.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Llanelli’s Minor Injuries Unit could close overnight due to staff shortages
Published March 2024: Health board warns of staffing pressures as overnight MIU closure is proposed.

Board agrees temporary overnight closure of Minor Injury Unit in Llanelli
Published May 2024: Decision prompts protests and calls for urgent review of local healthcare provision.

Prince Philip Hospital campaigners take petition to Senedd
Published May 2024: Campaigners raise concerns over MIU downgrading and wider service centralisation.

Health board lays out options for Llanelli Minor Injuries Unit
Published April 2025: Consultation outlines four potential futures for the MIU, including permanent overnight closure.

Final days to have your say on future of Llanelli’s Minor Injury Unit
Published July 2025: Residents urged to respond before the consultation closes on 22 July.

#CllrSeanRees #HywelDdaNHS #Llanelli #MinorInjuriesUnit #MIU #PrincePhilipHospital

Final days to have your say on future of Llanelli’s Minor Injury Unit

Hywel Dda University Health Board launched the twelve-week consultation in April, following a temporary reduction in the unit’s opening hours due to staffing shortages. The MIU at Prince Philip Hospital has been operating from 8am to 8pm daily since November 2024, replacing its previous 24-hour service.

The consultation closes on Monday 22 July 2025, and the Health Board is encouraging anyone who hasn’t yet shared their views to complete the online questionnaire or contact the engagement team directly.

The consultation focuses on how minor injury services — such as treatment for cuts, grazes, sprains and minor fractures — should be delivered in Llanelli in the future. It does not affect the hospital’s Acute Medical Assessment Unit (AMAU), which continues to provide emergency care for seriously ill adult patients.

Community backlash and protest action

The reduction in hours has sparked significant public outcry, with campaigners, elected representatives and residents voicing concern over the impact on local healthcare. The decision to close the MIU overnight was made by the Health Board in September 2024, prompting fears that lives could be put at risk due to longer travel times to alternative hospitals in Carmarthen or Swansea2.

Campaign group Save Our Services Prince Philip Action Network (SOSPPAN) has led the response, organising a protest camp outside the hospital, launching a petition, and demanding a public meeting with health officials2. Chair Cllr Deryk Cundy described the decision as “devastating and disastrous,” warning that it could leave the town’s 70,000 residents without adequate overnight medical cover.

“Lives will be endangered,” said Cllr Cundy. “We know for a fact that over 6,000 people attend the unit at night on average each year. Some of those people may not survive if they had to wait for an ambulance to get to Glangwili or Morriston Hospitals.”

Local MP Dame Nia Griffith and MS Lee Waters have also criticised the move, saying it breaks a promise of 24-hour care made when Llanelli lost its A&E service more than a decade ago4.

“It’s vital they recognise that Llanelli is the biggest town in west Wales and keep our services here,” said Dame Nia Griffith.

“The NHS exists to meet the needs of the people — and Llanelli is one of the highest areas of need in the Hywel Dda Health Board area,” added Lee Waters.

The Health Board has acknowledged the strength of feeling and says the consultation is genuine, with no preferred option. It has held drop-in events, online meetings and focus groups to gather feedback, and says all views will be considered before a final decision is made.

Four options on the table

As previously reported by Swansea Bay News, the Health Board has outlined four long-term options for the MIU’s future:

• Option 1: Continue with the current doctor-led 12-hour service
• Option 2: Extend to a doctor-led 14-hour service
• Option 3: Phased return to 24-hour care, starting with 12 hours, then 14, then 24 hours as staffing allows
• Option 4: Redesign as a 14-hour Urgent Care Centre, combining MIU and Same Day Emergency Care services 📎 Read our full breakdown of the proposed options.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Health Board lays out options for Llanelli Minor Injuries Unit
Four long-term models proposed for future delivery of care at Prince Philip Hospital.

Llanelli’s Minor Injuries Unit could close overnight due to staff shortages
Health Board confirms temporary changes amid recruitment challenges.

Minor Injuries Unit reduces opening hours due to staff shortages
Service scaled back to 12 hours a day to ensure safety for patients and staff.

Board agrees temporary overnight closure of Minor Injury Unit in Llanelli
Decision follows concerns raised by Healthcare Inspectorate Wales.

How to take part

To share your views before the consultation closes on 22 July, you can:

• Complete the online questionnaire at hduhb.nhs.wales/pphmiu
• Email: hyweldda.engagement@wales.nhs.uk
• Call: 0300 303 8322 (option 5)

If you experience a minor injury between 8pm and 8am and cannot wait until the next day, you can:

• Use the NHS Wales symptom checker
• Call NHS 111 Wales for advice (choose option 2 for mental health support)
• In a life-threatening emergency, always dial 999

A final decision on the MIU’s future is expected to be made by the Health Board in September 2025.

#HywelDdaNHS #Llanelli #MinorInjuriesUnit #MIU #PrincePhilipHospital

Health board lays out options for Llanelli Minor Injuries Unit

The Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) was introduced to Prince Philip Hospital following the downgrading of its Accident and Emergency department ten years ago.

The 24 hour unit has been operating with a reduced 12 hour opening time since November 2024 due to staffing issues and safety concerns.

The change to remove overnight coverage has proved controversial, with campaigners from Save Our Services Prince Philip Action Network (SOSPPAN) amassing nearly 15,000 petition signatures in a matter of weeks urging a U-turn by the health board. At the time of the cuts, campaigers from SOSPPAN said “There are very real fears that lives will be lost unless the MIU is reinstated urgently”.

The Health Board have now said they will 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 

The health board say that people will have an opportunity to share their views on the proposed options and impacts they may have, as well as propose alternative options. 

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.”   

The health board said that in the meantime, the current temporary opening hours at the MIU, of 8.00am to 8.00pm will continue. 

The hospital’s Acute Medical Assessment Unit (AMAU) is unaffected by these changes, and 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.   

(Lead image: Google Maps)

#featured #Llanelli #MinorInjuriesUnit #MIU #PrincePhilipHospital

The proposal is due to be discussed by Hywel Dda’s board on Wednesday 26 September.

If approved, this would see the provision of 12-hour daytime service rather than a 24-hour-service, from 1 November 2024 for a period of six months. 

The hospital’s Accident and Emergency Unit was downgraded to a GP and nurse-led minor injuries unit ten years ago.

Independent and Plaid Cymru Councillors on Llanelli Town and Llanelli Rural
Councils have expressed shock and alarm at the plans.

A joint statement from Cllrs Michael Cranham, Sean Rees, Louvain Roberts, Alex Evans, Sharen Davies, Jason Hart and Terry Davies said: “The urgent care services continue to be depleted. Most in the community agree that the largest town in West Wales should have its own A&E service but now it seems Llanelli will not even have a full-time Minor Injuries Unit.

“While we accept the concerns raised by Healthcare Inspectorate Wales following an unannounced inspection at the hospital last year, for Hywel Dda to decide the best solution to those concerns over patient safety is to cut the service is staggering.

“On behalf of our residents, we must call on Welsh Government and the Welsh Health Minister to step in and stop this proposal by Hywel Dda. We will be proposing formal motions in the coming weeks in the Town and Rural Councils asking them to do the same. Llanelli cannot afford to lose any more health services.”

Hywel Dda insist the temporary measure is needed due to difficulties in finding suitably qualified doctors to cover the nightime provision.

A statement from Hywel Dda University Health Board said: “The proposal to adjust the opening hours of the MIU is being presented due to patient safety concerns, raised both by Healthcare Inspectorate Wales seeking assurances following an inspection in June of last year, and from staff working at the unit. This is due to the frequent inability to find suitably qualified doctors to cover the GP led service, particularly in evening and overnight sessions.

“This has led to the service being led instead by Emergency Nurse Practitioners who, whilst extremely skilled at dealing with minor injuries, are not able to provide suitable care to patients who require a GP.

“Additionally, some patients attending the unit have more complex needs than can be managed by a GP, as they are considered major. This means they need to be stabilised and transferred onwards.

“The urgent need to address this problem has been endorsed by medical staff at the hospital with growing concerns about the safety of the service and the patients it treats.

“While the proposal is being considered, it is important to stress that Prince Philip Hospital continues to provide acute medical care for the local population.”

“If the proposal is endorsed, the health board will run an information and engagement campaign in the community. This will both inform people about what care and treatment is provided from the Minor Injury Unit, and what the temporary opening hours are, and seek to consider what the future of the service could look like.”

https://swanseabaynews.com/2024/09/23/llanellis-minor-injuries-unit-could-close-overnight-due-to-staff-shortages/

#featured #HywelDdaNHS #Llanelli #MinorInjuriesUnit #PrincePhilipHospital