Fresh concerns have been raised about infrastructure issues at Princess of Wales Hospital after the hospital temporarily stopped accepting emergency patients following a disruption to its water supply.
Health bosses advised patients to attend alternative hospitals while the issue is resolved. The incident comes just over a year after a major structural problem at the hospital saw significant long-term roof damage discovered, with repair costs estimated at around £28 million, funded by the Welsh Government.
Reacting to the latest disruption, Natasha Asghar, Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Minister for Health and Social Care, said:
“This is deeply concerning for patients and residents in the area, and I hope a swift resolution can be found, so that disruption is kept to a minimum and patient safety is prioritised.
“The NHS estate in Wales is already facing a significant maintenance backlog, estimated at around £1 billion, which underlines the need for urgent investment in critical hospital infrastructure.
“The Welsh Conservatives have consistently called for the creation of a 21st Century Hospitals Fund to modernise the NHS estate in Wales and support the building of new and upgraded hospitals and primary care facilities.”
The latest problems have also prompted members of the public to question whether ongoing maintenance issues inside the hospital are contributing to wider concerns over infrastructure management.
One regular visitor to the hospital claimed they have repeatedly noticed toilets with water running continuously during visits to the site.
The visitor said they had reported the issue to reception staff on several occasions but were allegedly told: “It’s always like that.”
They added that the hospital “must be losing thousands of gallons of water,” particularly concerning given the current disruption affecting water supplies at the site.
The incident has reignited debate around the condition of NHS buildings across Wales and whether enough investment is being made in preventative maintenance before problems escalate into major disruptions affecting patient care.
CTUHB UPDATE: Yesterday’s temporary disruption to the water supply at Princess of Wales Hospital has now been resolved.
The Emergency Department is now able to accept patients as normal.
Normal visiting hours (11am – 8pm) apply today.
We would like to thank our staff, patients and visitors for their patience and understanding over the last 24 hours.
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