Hywel Dda University Health Board launched the twelve-week consultation in April, following a temporary reduction in the unit’s opening hours due to staffing shortages. The MIU at Prince Philip Hospital has been operating from 8am to 8pm daily since November 2024, replacing its previous 24-hour service.
The consultation closes on Monday 22 July 2025, and the Health Board is encouraging anyone who hasn’t yet shared their views to complete the online questionnaire or contact the engagement team directly.
The consultation focuses on how minor injury services — such as treatment for cuts, grazes, sprains and minor fractures — should be delivered in Llanelli in the future. It does not affect the hospital’s Acute Medical Assessment Unit (AMAU), which continues to provide emergency care for seriously ill adult patients.
Community backlash and protest action
The reduction in hours has sparked significant public outcry, with campaigners, elected representatives and residents voicing concern over the impact on local healthcare. The decision to close the MIU overnight was made by the Health Board in September 2024, prompting fears that lives could be put at risk due to longer travel times to alternative hospitals in Carmarthen or Swansea2.
Campaign group Save Our Services Prince Philip Action Network (SOSPPAN) has led the response, organising a protest camp outside the hospital, launching a petition, and demanding a public meeting with health officials2. Chair Cllr Deryk Cundy described the decision as “devastating and disastrous,” warning that it could leave the town’s 70,000 residents without adequate overnight medical cover.
“Lives will be endangered,” said Cllr Cundy. “We know for a fact that over 6,000 people attend the unit at night on average each year. Some of those people may not survive if they had to wait for an ambulance to get to Glangwili or Morriston Hospitals.”
Local MP Dame Nia Griffith and MS Lee Waters have also criticised the move, saying it breaks a promise of 24-hour care made when Llanelli lost its A&E service more than a decade ago4.
“It’s vital they recognise that Llanelli is the biggest town in west Wales and keep our services here,” said Dame Nia Griffith.
“The NHS exists to meet the needs of the people — and Llanelli is one of the highest areas of need in the Hywel Dda Health Board area,” added Lee Waters.
The Health Board has acknowledged the strength of feeling and says the consultation is genuine, with no preferred option. It has held drop-in events, online meetings and focus groups to gather feedback, and says all views will be considered before a final decision is made.
Four options on the table
As previously reported by Swansea Bay News, the Health Board has outlined four long-term options for the MIU’s future:
- Option 1: Continue with the current doctor-led 12-hour service
- Option 2: Extend to a doctor-led 14-hour service
- Option 3: Phased return to 24-hour care, starting with 12 hours, then 14, then 24 hours as staffing allows
- Option 4: Redesign as a 14-hour Urgent Care Centre, combining MIU and Same Day Emergency Care services 📎 Read our full breakdown of the proposed options.
How to take part
To share your views before the consultation closes on 22 July, you can:
- Complete the online questionnaire at hduhb.nhs.wales/pphmiu
- Email: hyweldda.engagement@wales.nhs.uk
- Call: 0300 303 8322 (option 5)
If you experience a minor injury between 8pm and 8am and cannot wait until the next day, you can:
- Use the NHS Wales symptom checker
- Call NHS 111 Wales for advice (choose option 2 for mental health support)
- In a life-threatening emergency, always dial 999
A final decision on the MIU’s future is expected to be made by the Health Board in September 2025.
