Health board to reveal hospital shake-up plans for West Wales
Changes to hospital services in West Wales will be announced later, five months after a public consultation was launched.
In April, Hywel Dda health board put forward three proposals to shake-up services in Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion.
The health board said changes were necessary to tackle significant financial challenges, but the proposals, all of which would see communities losing hospital services, has caused concern among many.
Around five thousand responses were received from members of the public, and petitions raised against the changes have gained over 50,000 signatures.
Each of the three proposals would see Withybush hospital in Haverfordwest lose its status as a round-the-clock general hospital - instead operating as a community hospital.
Glangwili Hospital in Carmarthen and Prince Philip Hospital in Llanelli could also stand to lose some of their vital services, including A&E departments.
All three options see Bronglais Hospital in Aberystwyth remain unchanged.
But the health board says a new hospital, including an A&E unit, would be built somewhere near the border between Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire.
All three options also include a commitment to move many services out into the communities, with a network of 10 community hubs proposed.
At an extraordinary meeting today at County Hall in Carmarthenshire, the health board is due to put forward the outcome of its recent consultation, along with recommendations from its clinical team on how best to move forward.
In a public consultation document, the health board says reducing the number of main hospitals will mean:
Less of a difference in standards of care in different parts of our area to make things more equal for people
Shorter waiting times and fewer cancellations
More money for local and community health services
Read more on the proposals: