Work starts on £8.75m A&E unit

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Work on a new £8.75m state-of-the-art Emergency & Urgent Care Centre at Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest has begun.

The new centre will be one of the first of its kind in Wales to offer emergency, urgent care and social services under one roof.

It is expected to allow 50,000 patients to be treated every year.

Initial construction work is underway with main building work starting at the Pembrokeshire unit in summer 2008.

Acting chief executive of the Pembrokeshire and Derwen NHS Trust Caroline Oakley said: "Construction of this new facility follows hot on the heels of the opening of our MRI scanner in November and is the next step in delivering £39m worth of improvements at Withybush Hospital.

"Our four year investment plan includes two new theatres and better inpatient rooms, up to half of which will be single en-suite rooms.

"It really is fantastic to see construction begin on what really will be a state-of-the art Emergency and Urgent Care Centre for Pembrokeshire."

The new facility will offer: <li>An emergency care centre able to treat up to 50,000 patients every year</li><li>An adult clinical decision unit with 17 en-suite assessment rooms and two treatment rooms</li><li>A new four-bay state-of-the-art resuscitation centre </li><li>Eight 'see and treat' rooms for patients with minor ailments or injuries</li><li>A dedicated gynaecology room </li><li>Its own X-ray facilities</li><li>A separate waiting and treatment area for children</li>

It will also have two clean air theatres and a bigger ambulance area.

As the new unit is being developed, the current A&E department is expected to be housed at the old outpatients department.