Wrexham Maelor Hospital to upgrade services following purchase of new building

Wrexham Maelor Hospital is set to expand its Emergency Department and clinical areas within the main hospital site following the purchase of a building located at the nearby Wrexham Technology Park.

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board has bought the building, Plas Gororau, with funding support from the Welsh Government.

As a result, some outpatient services that are currently in the main hospital will move into the Ty Derbyn building, which is within the hospital grounds, and services currently located in Ty Derbyn, that do not need an acute base, will be moved into Plas Gororau.

Plas Gororau is a 44,186 sqft building on the technology park with 212 car parking spaces and is only a six-minute walk from the hospital’s main entrance.

Services being moved into the new facility include mental health outpatients, orthopaedic therapy clinics, prehabilitation, sexual health outpatients, clinical research facility and Maelor Academic Unit Of Medical & Surgical Sciences.

Plas Gororau is expected to open early in 2023, and services will be moved in phases with mental health outpatients relocating first.

Minor injuries

Once mental health outpatients has been transferred part of the main outpatients area, which is currently adjacent to the Emergency Department, will relocate to the vacated mental health area allowing for the Emergency Department to expand to support winter pressures.

A Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) will be established in the vacant area near the Emergency Department.

The MIU will treat injuries that are not critical or life threatening, helping to relieve pressure on the main Emergency Department.

The hospital is also constructing a purpose-built vaccination centre for north East Wales within Plas Gororau.

Hazel Davies, Acute Site Director of Wrexham Maelor Hospital, said: “Plas Gororau will be much easier for people attending the services that will be based there, as they will no longer need to come into the main hospital.”

“The reorganisation of some our services and departments will help with the pathways for our patients and relieve pressures across the hospital.

“This also gives us more space in the main hospital to expand our Emergency Department into the former Main Outpatient area it will help relieve the pressures during peaks times on the department as we evolve our strategy to deliver an Urgent Care Centre on site, co located with traditional Emergency Care.”

As the plans continue to be developed the Health Board will communicate any further updates with patients and the community.