Hywel Dda University Health Board will discuss progress and next steps needed to achieve its strategy and vision for a healthier mid and west Wales at its next Board meeting on Thursday.

On November 28, the Board will discuss achievements made, which includes supporting more patients in the community, the development of community hubs, and improvements to nurse staffing levels.

The Board will also consider challenges to the strategy. These include the intended new hospital in the south of Hywel Dda not being operational for at least another decade, with many services remaining fragile, delivering care in ageing estates and with significant challenges in medical workforce.

An update from recent engagement about primary and community care services will be provided, as well as findings from the option development process for nine clinical services (Clinical Services Plan).

The nine services are Critical Care, Emergency General Surgery, Stroke, Endoscopy, Radiology, Dermatology, Ophthalmology, Orthopaedics and Urology. They are services which are fragile and need change and support to continue safely providing care to our populations in the medium term.

Executive Director of Strategy and Planning Lee Davies said: “We will provide an update to Board on our strategy and the transformation required to respond to fragilities and improve care for the population. The Board will discuss and agree the development of plans for 2025-2026 and beyond.”

Anyone can attend Board meetings to observe, as they are held in public, or you can watch them online. A link will be available on their website.

Those interested in participating in future engagement or would like to keep up to date with the health board’s work on the future of services Clinical Services Plan, can join the Hywel Dda engagement scheme Siarad Iechyd/Talking Health: Siarad Iechyd/Talking Health.