Relocation of several outpatient services to new building to allow A&E expansion at Wrexham Maelor

A building dedicated to outpatients in Wrexham has been purchased by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.

Plas Gororau, based at the Wrexham Technology Park, will house several outpatient services that are currently at the Wrexham Maelor Hospital.

This, the health board says, will allow for the expansion of the emergency department and clinical areas within the main hospital site.

A Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) will be established in the vacant area near the Emergency Department, which will be delivered jointly with the Urgent Primary Care Centres (UPCC).

The MIU will treat injuries that are not critical or life threatening, helping to relieve pressure on the Maelor Hospital’s Emergency Department, while complementing the service provided by the UPCC.

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.

Services being moved into Plas Gororau include mental health outpatients, orthopaedic therapy clinics, pre-habilitation, sexual health outpatients, clinical research facility and Maelor Academic Unit Of Medical & Surgical Sciences.

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

It has been purchased with funding support from the Welsh Government.

The new facility is expected to open early 2023, and services will be moved in different phases with mental health outpatients moving first.

Once mental health outpatients has moved into Plas Gororau, 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.

Hazel Davies, Acute Site Director of Wrexham Maelor Hospital, said: “This is very exciting work which will greatly benefit our patients and the local community.

“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. Not least of which the building has its own dedicated parking for both patients and staff.

“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.”

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

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

The Minister for Health and Social Services, Eluned Morgan said: “It is fantastic that Welsh Government has been able to provide funding to help Wrexham Maelor expand their services.

“The new outpatients building will be a huge benefit to patients and the community by positively impacting the experience of patients, reduce waiting times for those waiting for appointments, free up Emergency Department capacity and help relieve pressures on the hospital. I look forward to visiting the new site when it is open.”