Next phase of ‘health park’ will not be delivered by private sector

Martin Shipton

A health board has confirmed that the next phase of a “health park” will not be delivered by a private sector company.

In December 2025 Nation.Cymru reported how the Welsh Government had been accused of trying to disguise the fact that a new £120m diagnostic centre branded as Llantrisant Health Park” will be operated by a private sector company.

Planning permission was granted in September 2025 for the construction of a regional diagnostic and treatment hub on land near the Royal Glamorgan Hospital at Llantrisant in Rhondda Cynon Taf. It will be located at the former British Airways avionics engineering building at Gwaun Elai industrial estate

However, none of the information about the project in the public domain, including reports from Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board, makes it clear that diagnostic activity will be contracted out to a private company.

The criticism was that Welsh Labour has from the dawn of devolution presented itself as a party opposed to any moves that could be construed as privatising the NHS.

The development, which has been funded by the Welsh Government to address planned care waiting lists, will provide day surgery and orthopaedic theatres, endoscopy, wards, MRI and CT scanning and ultrasound facilities.

The planning report considered in September said although consideration was given to adapting the vacant buildings, it was apparent the internal layout would not lend itself to the new use and the structural capacity was physically insufficient.

In recommending approval, planning officers said: “The proposed development represents a significant investment in public healthcare, to address local and regional diagnostic and treatment needs.

“The site is ideally positioned, close to the existing Royal Glamorgan Hospital and associated related facilities within the adjacent business park.

“In addition, the bespoke, fit-for-purpose development would be of a similar scale to the buildings which previously occupied the site and due to its location, would benefit from excellent transport links to the highway network and an established, frequent bus service.

“Whilst the loss of an industrial employment site would normally be of some concern, in this case there is a large alternative site allocated for employment a short distance to the north.

“Therefore, it is considered that the proposed health park would be compliant with local and national planning policy requirements in addition to the well-evidenced need for the development.”

Source

A well-placed source contacted us and said: “Are you following the story of the proposed new NHS Wales building(s) in Llantrisant? If not I suggest you should look into the details of it, as it is not as it may seem from the comms coming out of the health board.

“It is, as I see it, a politically led vanity project with high capital costs and a low quality outcome, with the private sector being employed to run the diagnostic centre. To put the proposed scheme in some context, NHS Wales are considering spending £120m to build a large clinic for a private sector operator to treat NHS patients – and make loadsa money.

“The project is fast tracked to gain all approvals and start in construction before the Senedd election in May as a Labour good news story.

“The abbreviation: ISP – Independent Sector Provider – is noted in the glossary to a health board report that is in the public domain. However this document is not for the currently planned Phase 1 diagnostic centre but for the ongoing Phase 2 (and 3) work which comprise the orthopaedic and day surgery facilities. So the term is not used in the report. I could not find any others which refer to phase 1 – the diagnostic centre which is, I understand, planned to be staffed by an ISP (and also part fitted out).”

FoI

We submitted a Freedom of Information request to Cwm Taf University Health Board, asking if it had been decided whether further phases of the project would be delivered by the “managed service contract approach” – a euphemism for service delivery by a private contractor.

Cwm Taf responded: “Phase 2 of the Llantrisant Health Park is at Outline Business Case stage and does not propose delivery by a managed service contract approach.

“Please note – Managed service contract approach = the use of a specialist third-party company to provide a required service.”