- 29/10/2015
- Posted by: Ken Skates MS
- Category: News
A Welsh Government Minister saw first-hand how investment in health services is paying dividends for patients during a visit to North East Wales.
Health Minister Mark Drakeford was given a tour of Castle Health Centre in Chirk today (Thursday, October 29th) with local Assembly Member Ken Skates, and also met staff and town council chairman Dewi Evans.
The Labour AMs then visited Llangollen Health Centre with Mr Skates’ predecessor Karen Sinclair, who was instrumental in bringing the state-of-the-art facility to the town at the old River Lodge Hotel site.
Mr Drakeford said: “Ken frequently tells me what fantastic facilities the Welsh Government has helped bring to Chirk and Llangollen, and it was wonderful to visit to see it for myself and to meet the teams.
“I was delighted to hear how the new health centres have greatly improves patients’ experiences. Chirk and Llangollen are just two examples of how our investment in the NHS in North Wales is paying dividends for people every day.”
In addition, First Minister Carwyn Jones recently announced that more than £1.4m will be given to a facility for very sick and premature babies in North Wales. The new Sub Regional Neonatal Intensive Care Centre (SuRNICC) at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd in Bodelwyddan is set to open in 2018.
After the visit Mr Skates, Labour AM for Clwyd South, said: “I’m extremely grateful to the Minister for taking the time to come to Clwyd South, and the staff at Chirk and Llangollen were delighted to host him. He was very impressed with what he saw.
“I was also able to take the opportunity to raise a number of other local issues with the Minister on behalf of my constituents.”
Mr Skates added: “I would once again like to pay tribute to Karen for the major role she played in bringing Llangollen Health Centre to fruition. It would not have been possible without the phenomenal amount of hard work she put in.”
Mrs Sinclair said she was ‘delighted and proud’ to join the Minister.
The Chirk centre, on Colliery Road, opened last year and has a range of eco-friendly features including solar panels as well as a minor operations facility and pharmacy. Llangollen Health Centre opened its doors to the public in September.
