News from Hywel Dda University Health Board: Next Steps on their Clinical Services Plan
Hywel Dda University Health Board provides NHS services in Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire. This includes hospital services used by some Powys residents.
Hywel Dda University Health Board recently consulted with the community on its Clinical Services Plan (CSP), which included options for change in nine clinical areas: critical care, dermatology, emergency general surgery, endoscopy, ophthalmology, orthopaedics, stroke, radiology and urology. They have provided the following update on the next steps:
As part of this public consultation, staff, members of the public, partner organisations and other stakeholders were invited to share feedback on the proposed changes. Consultation documentation and information was shared in a range of formats with over 6,900 stakeholders, alongside promotional activity directing communities to the dedicated Clinical Services Plan website to share their views.
In total, 4,140 questionnaire responses were received, and more than 4,000 people attended Health Board engagement events. There was significant engagement with the consultation across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and beyond, including contributions from partners, stakeholders, communities and neighbouring health boards. Thanks are extended to all those who gave their time to share feedback.
The Health Board is now undertaking a period of conscientious consideration. This means it will take time to carefully review and reflect on all feedback before any decisions are made. Conscientious consideration is based on the Gunning Principles, which set out how public consultation should be carried out fairly and lawfully. It is a process that takes place so that views shared during the consultation are properly considered.
Progress has also been made in assessing the potential of more than 100 alternative ideas submitted during the consultation process. New ideas were considered as part of the same process that led to the options presented in the consultation. Over 20 alternative ideas progressed to a shortlisting stage. Both the original and alternative options were scored by the Options Development Group, which included representatives from external partners.
Executive Medical Director Mark Henwood said: “It is vital that the views shared during the consultation are fully considered, taking into account what people have told us before any decisions are made. This approach helps us make informed choices about the future model for these nine clinical services.”
An initial draft consultation report has been received from Opinion Research Services (ORS), summarising the feedback gathered through meetings, events, written submissions and questionnaire responses.
The role of ORS is to ensure that the feedback gathered during the consultation is analysed objectively and presented in a way that accurately reflects what people told the Health Board. The draft report has been shared with stakeholder groups to check that it conveys the views expressed during the consultation and to gather any additional insights before the report is finalised.
The final consultation report will be one of a broader range of information sources used when decisions are made at an extraordinary meeting on 19 February 2026. At this meeting, the Board will decide on the future model for the nine clinical services included in the Clinical Services Plan. The Health Board meeting in February 2026 will be broadcast online, with papers and a link to the meeting available on the Health Board’s website a week in advance of the meeting: Board meetings 2026 - Hywel Dda University Health Board (opens in new tab).
For more information about the Clinical Services Plan, please visit the Health Board’s webpages: Clinical services plan - Hywel Dda University Health Board (opens in new tab)
You can also view the consultation documents on the HDUHB website Clinical Services Plan Consultation - Hywel Dda University Health Board (opens in new tab)