The chosen option (4a) was developed with the help of the community.
It means the existing Minor Injury Unit and Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) services will be brought together into a single, integrated centre. It will allow patients to walk in and be assessed, diagnosed, and treated for a wider range of urgent but non-life-threatening conditions – including minor injuries, minor illnesses, and urgent medical needs that do not require an overnight hospital stay. The centre will be open for 12 hours a day (08:00 – 20:00), seven days a week, with staff working for a further two hours to close.
The change represents an investment and an enhancement of the service to meet the needs of the population. It also helps to address staffing challenges and provides a model that will be more attractive to potential staff.
Professor. Phil Kloer, Chief Executive, expressed his thanks:
“I’d like to thank all our staff, public, Llais, SOSPPAN, and our elected representatives who have engaged with the process. We’ve had significant number of alternative options because of their participation. 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.
“We will work with our staff to introduce the new service during the coming year, and encourage people who need to access support in the meantime to continue to use the online symptom checker, NHS 111 or 999 in a life-threatening emergency.”
The decision has been made to continue to protect patient and staff safety. Detailed discussion of staff and public feedback from the 12-week consultation, and consideration of 10 options, six of which came from new ideas generated by the consultation, was had at the Board meeting. The Public Board is made up of independent members and senior leaders who meet regularly, in public, to make decisions about local NHS services. Their role is to ensure the Health Board is acting transparently, safely, and in the best interests of the community.
Mark Henwood, Executive Medical Director, said:
“To have reached a decision on the future of the minor injury service at Prince Philip Hospital is a real milestone, and we are so grateful to everyone who took part in the consultation that has helped our Board arrive at this decision.
“We look forward to now implementing and delivering safe, sustainable minor injury/urgent care at Prince Philip Hospital.”
The consultation process was assisted by representatives from Save Our Services Prince Philip Action Network (SOSPPAN), Llais, Welsh Ambulance Service University NHS Trust, Swansea Bay University Health Board and other partners, who helped ensure a focus on openness and accessibility.
Deryk Cundy, Chair of SOSPPAN, added: “We are pleased with the Board’s decision to support an Urgent Care Centre for Prince Philip Hospital, Minor Injury Unit. 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.
“Given the role MIU played previously, we look forward to further discussion with the health board to ensure that mental health provision is accessible for the people of Llanelli.”
The MIU has operated on temporary daytime hours (8am–8pm) since November 2024, following concerns raised by Healthcare Inspectorate Wales about overnight safety risks and staffing pressures. The findings of the consultation confirmed that the previous 24-hour model could not be reinstated safely or sustainably.
An Urgent Care Treatment Centre would provide:
- Minor injury care for adults and children over 12 months (e.g. sprains, cuts, minor burns).
- Minor illness care for adults (e.g. throat and ear infections, mild allergic reactions).
- Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) for urgent medical needs (e.g. severe headaches, cellulitis, diabetes flare-ups), currently accessed via GP referral.
Option 4a was viewed positively by many stakeholders, including staff, clinicians, and community representatives, for its broader scope and potential to reduce pressure on other services.
Delivering the new Urgent Care Treatment Centre is estimated to take 6-12months, to recruit staff and deal with any infrastructure changes.
The Health Board also agreed to an evaluation of the change after six months, including patient experience, medical outcomes, transport and staffing. A program of communication will take place for staff and the community explaining the pathways into the unit.
An Urgent Care Treatment Centre is not an Emergency Department (A&E), these services will continue to be provided from Glangwili or Morriston Hospitals. Patients needing urgent mental health care should call NHS 111 Wales and select option 2, or dial 999 in a life-threatening emergency.
In the meantime, the MIU at Prince Philip Hospital will continue to operate from 8am to 8pm daily.
If you live in or are visiting Llanelli and have a minor injury during the day (8am–8pm), you can continue to walk into the MIU at Prince Philip Hospital.
For injuries outside these hours, please use:
- the NHS Wales symptom checker https://111.wales.nhs.uk/selfassessments
- or call NHS 111 Wales for advice (choose option 2 for mental health support)
- in a life-threatening emergency, always dial 999
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