Ceredigion’s Plaid Cymru AM Elin Jones is continuing to press for the Welsh Government and Hywel Dda Health Board to commit themselves to the quickest possible timeframe for building the new Cardigan Hospital.

Following a meeting last week between Elin Jones and other AMs with the Health Minister, the Minister has now placed in writing, in a letter to the Health Board, his wish to see building work start early in 2015. He also said that there were opportunities to begin preliminary works on the site before this date, which could enable an earlier completion date.

Elin Jones, local Plaid Cymru AM for Ceredigion said:

“I welcome the fact that the Health Minister has been true to his word from our meeting last week, and is pressing the Health Board to commit to a firm timetable for building the new hospital in Cardigan. My focus has been to get both parties – Hywel Dda management and the Welsh Government – to commit themselves publicly to a schedule. People in the Cardigan area have been let down for far too long.

“There remains, of course, the issue of what facilities will be in the new building. I’ll be scrutinising the Business Case which the Health Board presents very carefully. There’s understandable scepticism about the idea of sub-contracting in-patient beds to the private sector.

“The proposed new hospital will cover the needs of a wide area, and there’s an opportunity to provide a better service to patients and their families with this new hospital, if there’s sufficient will on behalf of the Health Board and the Government.”