FURTHER re-development at Llandrindod Wells War Memorial Hospital has been given the go ahead by the Welsh Government.

Health Secretary Vaughan Gething gave the go-ahead for a total of £6.6million funding last week and approved Powys Teaching Health Board’s outline business case with £2.3m already having been spent on improvements to the roof and the birthing centre.

The commitment to invest in the hospital formed part of the Budget Agreement wit the Welsh Liberal Democrats for the 2015-16 draft budget.

The funding, announced last Thursday, November 10, will be used to extend and relocate the current outpatient facilities; improve patient waiting areas; provide improved accommodation for day case, endoscopy and dental departments; make further improvements to the newly configured birth centre; provide relocation and improved dental department; and enhance the hospital main entrance and reception.

During a visit to the hospital to see the redevelopment of the new birthing suites and construction of the new roof, Vaughan Gething said: "The additional month I’ve announced today will make a real difference to patients in Mid-Wales, as well as the medical staff working at the hospital.

"It will deliver much needed improvements and, one again, we’re proud to be investing in the future of the health service here in Wales."

The Welsh Government expects to receive the full business case in January next year with a view to works being completed during the next financial year.

Kirsty Williams, Welsh Liberal Democrat AM for Brecon and Radnorshire, said: "The original investment the Welsh Liberal Democrats secured was for £5.3m, so it is great to see investment in Llandrindod Hospital continuing and increasing to £6.6million.

"The £2.3m that has been spent so far has already made a huge difference to the hospital, so I look forward to seeing the finished project and the benefits it will bring to people in Mid-Wales."

Welcoming the news, Powys Teaching Health Board chief executive Carol Shillabeer said: "The investment will transform the environment of care we are able to offer our patients at Llandrindod Wells Hospital, We are delighted that the cabinet secretary was able to visit the hospital to see these developments first hand and to meet frontline staff.

"His visit included our new birthing centre, which provides an excellent new environment for women and their families for local midwife-led births."

Following his visit to Llandrindod Wells War Memorial Hospital, the cabinet secretary spoke to the county’s Research, Therapies and Health Sciences conference at the Royal Welsh Showground.

He then went to Llandrindod Wells hospital before visiting Brecon Medical Practice then provided an opportunity to hear from nurses, doctors, therapists and voluntary sector partners about how the virtual ward is supporting patients in Powys in their own homes.

His final visit of the day was to Breconshire War Memorial Hospital, in Brecon where the day surgery and endoscopy teams demonstrated how even more surgical and endoscopy procedures are taking place in the town’s hospital.

This ensures even more care closer to home and reduces the need for patients to travel to South-Wales or England for treatment.

As part of the visit of Mr Gething, he heard about the development of a new local service to treat age related macular degeneration. This service has already reduced patients travel by thousands of miles as it prevents the need to travel to Hereford for this vital treatment.

During his visit, Vaughan Gething AM showed his support for the #HelloMyNameIs campaign which was launched across the UK by Dr Kate Granger from Yorkshire who died in July.

During a hospital stay in August 2013 with post-operative sepsis, Kate made the stark observation that many staff looking after her did not introduce herself.

This led to her and her husband Chris Pointon launching a campaign, initially on social media, to remind healthcare staff about the importance of introductions.

The campaign has spread across the UK and across the world and the day surgery and endoscopy team at Breconshire War Memorial Hospital have taken it to heart.