A PLANNED new £10.2 million Centre of Excellence for breast services in Gwent has moved a step closer to becoming reality after outline plans for the site were approved.
The new building at Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr Hospital in Ystrad Mynach will bring together a range of services for breast cancer patients, which are currently spread across three sites within the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board.
A report on the planning application for the new centre submitted to Caerphilly County Borough Council said: “The Centre of Excellence will provide with evidence based services providing the best clinical outcomes comprising of dedicated diagnostic, treatment and counselling rooms that will enable faster diagnosis, treatment and follow-up care.”
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The service will be based in a new hospital building, which will be linked to the main hospital via a glazed linked corridor on the first level.
The new building will have a variety of consultation, examination, ultrasound, radiology, mammogram, treatment and counselling rooms along with a reception and waiting area, changing rooms and toilets. There will also been room for offices, staff facilities and a volunteer café.
Eight car parking spaces at the hospital will be lost to accommodate the new building, but 13 additional spaces will be provided, including two electrical charging points.
The idea has been approved by the Welsh Government, who funded the preparation of an outline business plan, which was submitted to the health board in May. The health board hopes to get the service up and running by the end of 2021.
The project has been developed against a backdrop of rising cases of breast cancer and year-on-year increases in outpatient referrals to the breast service, the latter up 45 per cent - to almost 7,700 - in just six years.
A business case put together by the health board says the new centre will also increase the range of breast surgery that can be performed as day cases from 30 per cent to 70 per cent.
Breast services are currently run across three sites - Newport's Royal Gwent Hospital, Nevill Hall Hospital in Abergavenny, and Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr.
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