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There are plans in place to put hundreds of additional hospital beds at sites across Carmarthenshire including a rugby stadium and a leisure centre.

The measures are being put in place due to “unprecedented challenges”, and include the usage of Parc y Scarlets and the Selwyn Samuel Centre in Llanelli and Carmarthen Leisure Centre.

Carmarthenshire Council is working with Hywel Dda University Health Board to put the beds at these locations, in the event that they will be required by the NHS over the coming weeks as the coronavirus outbreak continues to worsen.

The council, which is also working with organisations from the private sector and with Llanelli Town Council, said the plans were due to an anticipated increase in demand for beds and care.

Contractors will be tasked with converting spaces at all three sites over the coming days and weeks, including Parc y Scarlets, which has offered large parts of its stadium and its buildings for free to be used by the NHS.

“Delivering these additional beds for patients will be essential to help us manage patient flow over the coming weeks and we are extremely grateful for all of the support that we are receiving from our local authority partner to help make this happen,” said Dr Phil Kloer, medical director and deputy chief executive at Hywel Dda University Health Board.

“We have followed the situation in Italy closely to learn where possible and to help our planning. Our European colleagues have provided feedback that patient flow and throughput is a critical factor in response to COVID-19 pressures.”

Carmarthenshire Council’s executive board member for health and social care, Jane Tremlett, said: “It is critical the NHS and Local Government pool their expertise in these extraordinary times to ensure we take this emergency action.

“It is only through working together that we can meet these challenges. I would like to thank Llanelli Town Council and Parc y Scarlets for their support.”

Speaking jointly, Jake Morgan, Carmarthenshire Council’s director for communities, and Andrew Carruthers, Hywel Dda University Health Board’s director of operations, said: “Details in relation to these facilities are being developed with clinicians. These will be NHS managed facilities with many support services provided by the local authority and existing commercial partners.

“Developing these at pace is our priority and we hope that some elements of these facilities will be operational at the beginning of May.

“The Health Board is working very closely with all three of our local authorities to develop similar facilities and further information will be provided as these measures progress.”