Health boards approve plans for regional pathology centre

Richard Youle, local democracy reporter

A specialist laboratory where patients’ tissue and cell samples are tested for disease is to be created to serve two health boards.

The £20m-plus cellular pathology centre will serve Swansea Bay and Hywel Dda university health boards and replace outdated laboratories at hospitals within both areas.

The two sites being considered for the service are the new Pentre Awel health and life sciences complex at Delta Lakes, Llanelli, and a building at Swansea Vale, Llansamlet, Swansea.

The Llanelli option is estimated to cost £21m, excluding laboratory costs; the Swansea Vale option, excluding laboratory costs and the purchase of the building, is estimated at £22.8m.

Appraisal

Both health boards have now approved the creation of a regional cellular pathology service and are undertaking an appraisal to determine which of the two sites is preferable. It is hoped the new service will be up and running within two years, subject to Welsh Government funding.

Stephen Spill, vice-chairman of Swansea Bay University Health Board, said Welsh Government officials had made it clear a regional solution was required.

“They have given a very strong indication that money will be available,” he said.

Mr Spill said he felt it was quite an easy decision for colleagues to make.

“We are providing substandard pathology services in both health boards,” he said. “This will help us get that right. It will in particular attract more experts to come to this region to work.”

Under pressure

A board report said all pathology services in south west Wales were under pressure in terms of buildings, staffing and performance but that the situation in cellular pathology was “particularly acute”.

Cellular pathology, it said, was currently provided in outdated facilities at Morriston and Singleton hospitals in Swansea and Glangwili in Carmarthen, and neither health board has a clinical lead in place.

Mr Spill and Christine Morrell, Swansea Bay’s director of health care science and allied health professionals, said pathology staff at both health boards seemed to be on board with the proposed amalgamation.

Chief executive Abigail Harris said it would be better for patients as well.

Hywel Dda University Health Board approved the same set of recommendations at its most recent meeting.

Lee Davies, director of strategic, development and operational planning, said a meeting had taken place with pathology staff on September 22 and there hadn’t been a great deal of discussion or debate.

Talk of a regional pathology service has been going on for years and proposals were developed for one at Morriston Hospital but its estimated £135m price tag was unaffordable.

Dr Neil Wooding, chairman of Hywel Dda University Health Board, said the situation needed resolving quickly.

Referring to the cellular pathology laboratory at Glangwili Hopsital, he said: “It truly is a really poor working environment.”