Fascinating then-and-now pictures released by Hywel Dda University Health Board show Cardigan’s new Integrated Care Centre development passing two-thirds of completion and on course to be built by this September.

Construction activities are in week 51 of 77 and the building is expected to be fully watertight by mid-May, with power supplies available at that point.

In a boost to local communities supply chain partners Interserve have also agreed to be designated as a “skills on site venue” for all west Wales colleges, with a number of construction presentations due to be delivered on site during the next few months.

Hywel Dda’s county director and commissioner for Ceredigion, Peter Skitt, said: “I’m very pleased to report that Cardigan’s Integrated Care Centre remains on course for completion later in the year, and that local residents and patients will soon be able to experience a wide range of improved integrated health and social care services delivered by Hywel Dda UHB, the third sector, local authority and partner organisations.”

Among the benefits to the local community are said to be:

• improving how the various health and social care services work together and communicate with each other;

• increasing in the range of clinics provided;

• increasing in the numbers of people attending outpatient clinics;

• potential for an increase in seven-day service provision;

• increased diagnostic services including pre-operative assessments; and

• improved outcomes for patients.

Construction work on the care centre began in March 2018 following an historic journey to develop brand new fit-for-purpose healthcare services for the local community.

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