Hospital development plans branded a ‘farce’

Richard Evans Local Democracy Reporter

An outspoken councillor has slammed the Welsh Government over plans to develop a hospital which have been described as a “farce” and “political stick”.

Last week a Denbighshire Council scrutiny committee spoke about a delayed meeting with Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board about Rhyl’s Alexandra Hospital, which had been put back from September to October.

Betsi chiefs attended a council meeting in February where Denbighshire councillors were told to expect a planning application for an extension to the hospital between March and August.

But despite it already being mid-July, a planning application is yet to be submitted, leading to several Denbighshire councillors calling for Betsi to attend a now-postponed September meeting to “face the music”.

Originally planned as a project that would cost tens of millions, the new plans have been scaled back post pandemic, but the health board have said construction could start in the first quarter of 2026.

Hub

Betsi is targeting Welsh Government funds, which are yet to be secured, with the new building planned as “a third-sector hub” supporting patients, as well as having support services such as catering facilities, reception, and staff rest areas – with a café also to be part of the plans.

The health board say the plans will also include a bedded unit and minor injuries and ailments unit.

But after his comments at last week’s scrutiny committee, Rhyl Conservative councillor Brian Jones is claiming the Welsh Government is using the hospital as a “cheap vote-winning trick”.

“Whilst any commencement of work to the Royal Alex is to be welcomed, I have to say the project that is on the table is a very poor shadow of the original project,” he said.

“A lot of local people are ex-health board employees. The whole thing is a farce. This is being used as a political stick to try and hoodwink the electorate that they are going to be building an extension in Rhyl and mirrors what happened at the last Senedd elections, whereby Betsi Cadwaladr was taken out of special measures just before the elections. It then went back into special measures, and it is still in special measures now.”

He added: “If they turn up and come to the scrutiny meeting in October, the question will be raised: Is this a political move to try and push this new Rhyl development forward as what happened previous to the last elections? It appeared to be just a cheap vote-winning trick.”

Reponse

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board’s Central Integrated Health Community Director Gareth Evans responded to the criticism. “We are in regular contact with Denbighshire County Council about the progress of the Royal Alexandra Hospital development,” he said.

“A contract has been awarded to design the new build element of the site, and a planning application will be submitted within the next month or so. We have repeatedly confirmed the new-build plans include a bedded unit and Minor Injuries and Ailments Unit (MIAU).

“The progression of the scheme is conditional on formal board approval, planning permission being granted, and Welsh Government approval of our full business case.

“We expect all elements to have been submitted by the end of the calendar year and, if successful, would hope to start construction in early 2026.

“Reparations and improvements to the existing Royal Alex site are planned to go ahead separately to the new build.”

A spokesman for Welsh Government added: “We are awaiting a revised full business case for the Royal Alexandra Hospital to be submitted to us by the health board later this year. The scheme, if approved, would receive funding from the NHS All-Wales Capital Programme and Integration & Rebalancing Capital Fund (IRCF).”