DETAILED designs have been finalised for the long-awaited Specialist and Critical Care Centre (SCCC) outside Cwmbran, to treat Gwent's sickest patients.

The project, first mooted in 2003 as part of a complete modernisation of Gwent's hospital services, should be opening its doors to patients in summer 2019.

Building work is scheduled to start in February next year, subject to a final business case - currently being prepared - being approved by the Welsh Government. It is anticipated that this will be submitted in September, and Aneurin Bevan University Health Board hopes to secure approval next December.

An outline case has already been approved for the £241 million, 553-bed hospital, to be built on land at and adjoining the site of the former Llanfrechfa Grange Hospital, near Cwmbran.

Preparatory work has begun at the Grange site, ahead of building work starting in earnest early next year.

Some trees have already been felled on the main road leading up to the site, ahead of work starting on the centre's main approach road.

Temporary fences have also been installed and essential ecological works carried out. Some drainage work has also been completed.

The next major change to the existing landscape is likely to be the demolition of some of the old existing hospital buildings to the left of the Grange's main entrance road.

Completed designs have been reviewed by the Aneurin Bevan Community Health Council - Gwent's independent patients' watchdog - and the health board’s stakeholder reference group, which involves a range of staff and NHS representatives.

The SCCC will provide major emergency treatment and assessment, with critical care beds and acute cardiac care beds including cardiac catheter laboratories.

Inpatient services will handle major cases, and those involving co-morbidity - where a patient may have two or more other long term health issues - and specialties such as general surgery, medicine, orthopaedics, haematology and vascular care.

There will also be: inpatient obstetrics; midwifery- and consultant-led services; gynaecology; emergency endoscopy; inpatient paediatrics and emergency assessment/critical care; neonatal intensive care; emergency diagnostics - radiology, CT and MRI scanning, interventional radiology; ultrasound; pathology; pharmacy; a multidisciplinary education centre for staff training and development.