Bridgend hospital plan would provide 46 community beds
Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board is proposing two community wards with 46 beds at Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend. The plan would move community beds currently at Ysbyty George Thomas back to Bridgend. The health board says it aims to have the wards occupied by the end of 2026, subject to the required work being completed.
Proposed Bridgend community wards
- Wards proposed
- 2
- Beds in Bridgend
- 46
- Timing aim
- End of 2026, subject to works
- Status
- Proposed
Who the beds are for
Community beds are for patients who no longer need treatment in an acute hospital bed but are not yet ready to return home. They support rehabilitation, recovery, reablement and further assessment. The health board says Bridgend currently has fewer community beds than its other localities, meaning some residents are offered a bed outside their local area. Its stated aim is a more balanced distribution of beds and care closer to home.
Why the location would change
Community beds moved to Ysbyty George Thomas following the critical incident at Princess of Wales Hospital in October 2024. The board says that arrangement was intended to be temporary and was later extended. Refurbishment at Princess of Wales has created an opportunity to redesign vacant wards for community care. The board acknowledges that an acute hospital site is not the usual setting for community beds. Residents of Rhondda Cynon Taf would still have access to community beds at Ysbyty Cwm Rhondda. The board says staff would be retained across its services, with no job losses from this change.
What remains unconfirmed
The board’s frequently asked questions, listed on its news index on 13 October, describe a proposal and a conditional end-of-year aim. They do not give an exact move date or a whole-area before-and-after bed total. The 46 is the proposed provision in Bridgend, not a verified net increase of 46 across the health board. People with concerns about the proposed change or their care can contact CTM.Concerns@wales.nhs.uk, the address given by the health board.