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 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.

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