May 2025 - FAQs - An Update on the Delivery of a Health and Wellbeing Centre for the Llynfi Valley
Is there money available to redevelop Maesteg Community Hospital?
Yes. Based on our extensive efforts to develop a Health and Wellbeing Centre project that includes health, local authority and third sector services that meet the needs of the Llynfi Valley, the Welsh Government Integration and Rebalancing Care Fund (IRCF) Team has positively advised that there is capital money available for the development of a health and wellbeing centre in the Llynfi Valley, subject to business cases approval (which will take approximately 2 years to complete).
We can confirm that funding for the proposed health and wellbeing centre in Maesteg is unaffected by the money provided to fix the roof at Princess of Wales Hospital, Bridgend. These come from different funding sources, albeit all are under the control of the Welsh Government.
How much money do you have to deliver a Health and Wellbeing Centre in the Llynfi Valley?
Our expected Welsh Government IRCF budget is £20-25 million, with potential access to small amounts from other funds from different budgets. Our aim is to secure a budget of approximately £30 million.
Will you be redeveloping Maesteg Community Hospital?
Unfortunately, the current situation is that the potential available funding does not cover the necessary redevelopment of the existing Maesteg Community Hospital site, which requires many millions of pounds more than we expect to access to return it to a building that is capable of delivering modern, integrated healthcare.
For example, our partners, Kier Construction, have undertaken extensive surveys and other design work, and have identified £6M worth of site-specific challenges that make redeveloping the Maesteg Hospital site very difficult. These costs include retaining and repairing the building façade, dealing with asbestos, the necessary demolition of certain parts of the site, as well as the costs in hosting existing on-site services, such as Bron-Y-Garn Surgery, at other locations and addressing car parking challenges (and existing covenant on green space next to the Hospital).
In short, the overall redevelopment costs of Maesteg Community Hospital is currently 60% over our expected budget and to reduce these costs further would
have a significant, detrimental impact on the services we would be able to deliver within the Llynfi Valley.
The annual capital budget for Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board is limited and can cover basic maintenance only at Maesteg Hospital. It cannot cover extensive refurbishment or new build needs at Maesteg Hospital.
If you aren’t developing Maesteg Community Hospital, what are you doing?
We remain absolutely committed to improving the quality, access and choice of services for the Llynfi Valley communities. As a necessary part of our business case process to demonstrate that we are delivering quality and accessible services, we needed to look at alternatives, and through engagement with Bridgend County Borough Council, we have identified another site that could meet the health and wellbeing needs of the community.
This potential new site is located on land near Ewenny Road, near Maesteg Town Centre, and close to Ewenny Road Railway Station. Kier Construction are actively considering the viability of the potential new site to see whether we can deliver almost everything identified by the community for the expected available budget in a purpose-built, modern facility. This site also provides potential options to further grow the Centre to host additional services in the future.
Where is the potential new site?
For commercial reasons, we are not sharing the exact location at this stage, other than to say it is on land located near Ewenny Road. But, should the potential new site be viable, we will provide further information at the appropriate stage.
What services are you planning for the Health and Wellbeing Centre, whether it was at Maesteg Community Hospital or the potential new site?
Services included within the proposed Health and Wellbeing Centre include provision of primary care, an Urgent Care Centre for minor injuries and illnesses, a strengthened Outpatient Department with a wider range of specialties, integrated health and local authority teams and a range of third sector services, including those delivered by Bridgend College, Citizens Advice and Mental Health Matters Wales. These range of services are those people living in the Llynfi Valley have told us they want.
To provide this improved, wider range of services requires a site between 3,000-3,500M2.
Are you returning in-patient beds to Maesteg?
We are not returning an in-patient ward to Maesteg. With regards to in-patient provision, there has been a shift in Welsh Government direction to provide more care at home, rather than in hospital for rehabilitation and reablement patients.
A hospital is not necessarily the right place for many of those patients formerly supported at the ‘Llynfi Ward’ in Maesteg Hospital. In-community care is often the safest and most effective health service provision for older people, and includes rapid discharge and safe alternatives to hospital admission, such as ‘Hospital at Home.’ This essentially takes the hospital to the patient through a multidisciplinary team, including doctors, nurses, a physiotherapist and occupational therapist and other professionals. This team will assess the patient’s individual health needs and work out a plan for delivering appropriate care in their own home. Of course, a patient can be admitted to hospital if it is determined it is the correct course of action, but this approach enables patients to access their usual GP and local care as before, and studies show that there is a lower risk of death 6 months after a fall or sudden illness for people who are cared for in their own homes in this way, compared with those who are admitted into hospital.
In addition, once admitted older people have longer stays in hospital and are more likely to experience delayed discharge, which can potentially lead to a decline in both their physical and cognitive ability. For example, it has been estimated that 10 days of bed rest for healthy older people can equate to 10 years of muscle ageing and function.
This shift towards at home health provision, alongside the very high costs of building a new ward and providing the significant space needed to deliver necessary supporting services, such as therapies spaces and catering requirements (which requires 1,500M2), means we will be unable to provide in-patient beds in Maesteg.
We are engaged with staff from the former ‘Llynfi Ward’ and those still at Maesteg Hospital and we will keep them updated throughout this process.
What will happen to those staff from the Llynfi Ward if they aren’t moving back to Maesteg Hospital?
We recognise that some people will be disappointed we are not returning a ward to Maesteg Hospital. We are currently reviewing a number of options for the ‘Llynfi Ward’ and staff as part of a wider Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board Review into where we best locate the care ‘Llynfi Ward’ staff provide for the long-term. We are engaged with the staff and will, of course, keep staff updated through this process.
What happens to the existing Maesteg Hospital site if you choose to move to the new site?
This is a crucial part of our deliberations before any firm decision is taken. We will actively engage partners, including Bridgend County Borough Council, Awen Trust and local Llynfi Valley groups. We do not underestimate the high-regard in which Maesteg Community Hospital and its founders are held by the community and whatever the decision, we will work with partners to preserve the history of this important building, including the recognisable façade. However, we must also look to the future to deliver the modern, integrated services the community needs and wants today and for the decades ahead.
Does this potential move mean you will sell Maesteg Hospital?
A sale of Maesteg Hospital is the likely outcome should the potential new site be a viable option to deliver the Health and Wellbeing needs we have identified. We do not underestimate the high-regard in which Maesteg Community Hospital and its founders are held by the community and, whatever the decision, we will work with partners to preserve the history of this important building, including the recognisable façade.
For example, we are in discussions with Bridgend County Borough Council about a potential Article 4 Direction that could restrict permitted development rights at Maesteg Hospital to protect the special character of the site, which would help preserve the hospital façade. We will, of course, engage widely and keep the community updated through this process.
If the potential proposed site is viable, would services would remain open at Maesteg Community Hospital until the new Centre is finished?
Yes.
Why this potential new site and not elsewhere within the Llynfi Valley?
There is limited land available within easy access of Maesteg Town Centre that meets the needs of a Health and Wellbeing Centre. We have engaged Bridgend County Borough Council to identify this potential new site, which could potentially be the right location for the Health and Wellbeing Centre.
We know access is very important to local people and the potential new site has vastly improved public transport options and can be directly accessed (via bus or rail) from all parts of the Llynfi Valley and further down the railway line to Tondu, Sarn and Aberkenfig. This addresses significant challenges patients have in accessing services at the current Maesteg Community Hospital site, which was a key issue identified in our 2023 community engagement events.
Will Bron-Y-Garn Surgery be moving to the new site if it goes ahead?
Yes. We are working closely with the team at Bron-Y-Garn Surgery, who are an integral part of our plans for a Health and Wellbeing Centre in the Llynfi Valley.
Is another GP Practice moving to the new site as part of the plans?
Potentially, yes.
Are you still investing in Maesteg Community Hospital?
Whilst we continue to review our option and discuss them with local stakeholders, we are still investing in services for the here and now at Maesteg Community Hospital. We have modernised our X-Ray Suite at Maesteg with the latest modern equipment following funding approval from the Welsh Government. We have modernised our X-Ray Suite at Maesteg with the latest modern equipment following funding approval from the Welsh Government. Following final minor upgrade activities, this will be open 4 mornings a week, and we will share more information once it is fully open and operational.
In addition, we have invested in a new, small space allocated to Bron-Y-Garn Surgery in the former Llynfi Ward. This activity was necessary due to water ingress challenges on the first floor above the surgery, which despite multiple attempts has proven to be difficult to address successfully. This small investment will enable the practice staff to work in a more suitable environment.
Why has it taken so long to get to this point?
Throughout, we have focused on redeveloping Maesteg Community Hospital and we have taken time to examine all potential options to do so, including modular build options. Once it became clear that these did not meet our available budget and would not enable us to provide services that local people want and need, it was necessary to look at options beyond Maesteg Community Hospital to meet the requirement for a Health and Wellbeing Centre for the Llynfi Valley that will help address the long-term needs of the community.
When will you know if the new site will go-ahead?
We expect Kier Construction to provide their initial feasibility report in late May 2025. After which, we will review their report in-depth before taking any decision.
Will you consult further with the community?
Yes. It is very important to us that local people understand the work we have been doing and the options that are available. Once we know more, we will share further information and develop a programme of public engagement,
including events held in local communities, to provide opportunities for people to be involved in this exciting, potential investment into their town and their health.