The Prince of Wales visits Y Bwthyn NGS Macmillan Specialist Palliative Care Unit
Staff, patients and their loved ones were delighted to receive a visit by His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales to the newly developed state-of-the–art palliative care unit in the Royal Glamorgan Hospital this week
Designed by architects that specialise in palliative care to create a calm, welcoming and comfortable environment for people with incurable illnesses and their loved ones, The Prince of Wales was shown around the unit and the fantastic wall art that depicts the area's rich heritage.
During the visit His Royal Highness spoke at length to patients, gaining a sense of how the unit has and will benefit them during their stay.
Melaney, one of the patients who spoke to the Prince of Wales, said: “He sat down with me and when he spoke he put me at ease. We talked and laughed about how I make apple crumble. He was a genuinely lovely man."
His Royal Highness greeted staff and spoke to them all individually and praised them for their dedication, commitment and hard work.
Julie Donovan, Ward Manager, added: “It was lovely to see the Prince recognising the staff for all the hard work they do here at Y Bwthyn to support and care for our patients. He was very compassionate when talking to the patients and was full of respect for the staff and the amazing work they do."
The £7.25m unit was largely funded by Macmillan Cancer Support and its charity partner National Garden Scheme (NGS), who each gave £2.5m towards the project. The additional funding came from the Welsh Government and Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board.
The unit offers inpatient, outpatient and day palliative care to people with cancer and other conditions with eight inpatient beds available.
Professor Marcus Longley, Chair of Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board, said: “We are extremely proud of the Y Bwthyn unit and the vital work that the teams do there to support our patients and their families.
“It was wonderful to have His Royal Highness pay a visit to our staff and the unit today to hear about their experiences. Our teams go above and beyond and today's visit from The Prince will really mean a lot after what has been an exceptionally challenging 18 months for us all."
For support, information or just a chat, call Macmillan free on 0808 808 0000.