The building of a new hospital in west Wales has been labelled a ‘mythical project’ by one of Pembrokeshire’s county councillors, who has questioned what funding has been set aside from the Welsh Government for the facility.

It was agreed at an extraordinary board meeting of Hywel Dda University Health Board held back in September of last year, that a choice of two sites in either Whitland or St Clears would be earmarked for the new hospital which would serve Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire residents.

The Health Board’s chair at the time Maria Battle said that the meeting was another ‘important step’ in delivering a new urgent and planned hospital ‘fit for future generations’ - with investment in repurposing Glangwili and Withybush hospitals, bringing ‘care closer to home’.

However, County Councillor for Tenby’s North ward, Cllr Michael Williams has stated, that despite promises of around £1.3billion of investment into health and care for the locality, he fears everyone is being ‘strung along’ by the Labour government and Health Board with a ‘smoke and mirrors’ routine.

“I’ve researched and I’m unable to find any funding which is identified, either revenue or capital for this seemingly mythical project,” said Cllr Williams, who represents Plaid Cymru as a Local Authority member.

“I would have expected at least a revenue budget to enable initial research on finding suitable sites for such a massive project, I’m at a real loss to understand how detailed investigation work can be carried out without any identified budget?

“Those of us who fought for many years to protect health provision in Tenby, specifically the hospital provision, will well remember the sophistry used at that time by the Health Authority. Has anything changed or is this once again smoke and mirrors while the health service continues to deteriorate.

“I’m informed by staff currently working at Glangwili Hospital in Carmarthen, that parts of the building are currently unsafe, and don’t comply with current Health and Safety regulations.

“Is this what is becoming the norm in the 2024 health service?” he added.

Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire Senedd Member, Samuel Kurtz, has also called for more detail to be provided on the timeframes surrounding the building of the new General Hospital.

A response from the Labour Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing to a written question from Mr Kurtz failed to offer any indication of dates.

The response stated that locations were still being considered and it was too early to suggest a likely time scale for a decision to be reached.

Plans for the new hospital were first mooted in 2006, as services from Withybush began being relocated elsewhere.

Commenting on the answer, Mr Kurtz said: “This lack of clarity on the future of hospital services in Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire continues to frustrate myself, patients, and hardworking staff.

“The response received from the Cabinet Secretary does not provide any indication of dates or timeframes for a decision to be made on the preferred site, let alone a timeframe for the new facility to be built.

“For 18 years residents in West Wales have had this hospital reorganisation cloud hanging over them, as Labour’s plans saw downgrade after downgrade yet no sign of investment.

“It is not good enough and urgent action needs to be taken by both the Welsh Government and the Health Board, to provide much needed clarity and certainty to this situation,” he added.