HYWEL Dda health chiefs have begun to enact plans for all acute hospitals and other care facilities.

Each of its four hospitals in Aberystwyth, Carmarthen, Haverfordwest and Llanelli is developing plans which involve providing designated areas for an expected increase in patients who test positive for COVID-19 and require hospital admission.

A spokesperson said: “To do this, some services may need to move or change temporarily to allow us to provide clinical care for these patients in a more appropriate environment, while also ensuring that other essential services continue to run as smoothly as possible.

“We will also be putting temporary buildings or tents in place and people will be appropriately signposted to these as they become operational.

“The pPaediatric ambulatory care unit (PACU) at Withybush General Hospital, also known as Puffin Ward, will be suspended so that it can be converted into a Minor Injuries Unit for adults and children for the duration of the pandemic.

“Families with children suffering minor injuries will still be able to access care at Withybush via the MIU but those children with acute illness will be directed to Glangwili Hospital in Carmarthen.

“Over the coming days, weeks and months we will also be implementing changes to other care facilities to help us deal with increased cases of COVID-19 patients and the latest measures follow our postponement of non-urgent operations and outpatient appointments last week, new visiting restrictions and access arrangements for community care facilities.

“The Health Board is committed to keeping our communities, staff and stakeholders informed about any changes every step of the way and will provide further updates soon.”

Dr Phil Kloer, medical director and deputy chief executive at Hywel Dda, said: “We need to act now and what we are doing is in line with other health boards and trusts up and down the country as our NHS seeks to manage the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This means that some aspects of care may have to temporarily move, change or reduce and the public need to be prepared for that. We will continue to keep our communities, staff and stakeholders informed about any changes every step of the way and will provide further updates soon.”