AM Ken Skates welcomes £1.25m NHS investment in Corwen

Ken Skates AM has welcomed a commitment that £1.25m will be spent to improve NHS facilities in Corwen.

Plans for enhanced health and social care services took a major step forward earlier this year when the Clwyd South AM secured an assurance that Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board had ‘prioritised the development of improved facilities’ in the town.

Mr Skates has since continued to push for investment and recently wrote again to BCUHB chief executive Gary Doherty to ask for an update.

“Having been involved in the successful campaigns for new health centres in Llangollen and Chirk, I’m pleased to have been able to secure a promise of investment in Corwen too,” said Mr Skates, who had pledged to deliver continued spending on health if re-elected in May.

“I’m delighted that the health board has earmarked £1.25m for improvements to the existing premises in Corwen, and I’m pleased it is also exploring potential new sites.”

Mr Doherty said BCUHB had met representatives of the town’s GP practice and its patient participation group on May 19 and held a follow-up meeting on July 14 – which also included Denbighshire County Council – to ‘explore opportunities for joint working between the health board and local authority’.

Mr Doherty explained that Denbighshire County Council said it does not have any suitable buildings in the Corwen area, so the recent discussion had ‘focused on original plans to for the refurbishment of the existing site’.

He added: “However, the Patient Participation Group expressed some concerns that other options had not been explored and sought assurance that all viable options had been considered. In response, the BCUHB estates team has requested a review of all other potential development sites in the Corwen area, and an estimate of costs.”

Another meeting is scheduled for Tuesday (August 16) to discuss any new potential options.