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Plans for a so-called "halfway house" aimed at easing bed shortages at a North Wales hospital have been unveiled.

The proposed 63-bed facility, called Ty Seren, would be for Ysbyty Glan Clwyd patients whose hospital treatment has ended but who can't be sent home because of their complex health needs.

The doctor and nurse behind Ty Seren, Dylan Southern and Dr Simon Dobson, believe the centre, would help ensure patients return home quicker and live independently for longer and free up beds at the Bodelwyddan hospital. They also claim it could create around 200 jobs.

Images of what the centre would look like have been released by Star Units who are submitting the planning appplication.

Ty Seren would be located on St Asaph Business Park and be built in three phases if it is granted planning.

(Image: BR ARCHITECTURE)

Delayed transfer of care (DToC) results in hospital bed-blocking and causes log-jams in other departments such as A&E.

Mr Southern claims Ty Seren could increase bed turnover at nearby Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, Bodelwyddan, if it follows the results of a similar exercise in Nottingham.

If the first phase is successful, phase two would be to build another 63-bed building designed to accommodate those with memory problems.

The final phase would be the same size and be a centre for the physically frail and those needing end of life care.

(Image: BR ARCHITECTURE)

The company held a public and interested party consultation meeting in St Asaph earlier this month.

Mr Southern told North Wales Live: "We want to garner the public's views on whether they think it's an appropriate looking building.

"But we also want to show the level of expertise that has gone into the design, such as en suite bathrooms and extra-wide corridors - and how the upper floors have access to fresh air through the balcony structures.

(Image: BR ARCHITECTURE)

"The building is being built to provide the best care available and be good for the environment."

Dr Dobson, who has been a GP in North Wales for more than 25 years, formulated the idea when he met Mr Southern, who worked on a similar, successful scheme in the East Midlands.

The idea coordinates services such as occupational therapy, physiotherapy, social and GP services into one setting so care packages are coordinated for those patients who go back home.

In January 2019 there were 61 North Wales patients who had endured a delayed transfer of care, which saw some of them wait up to 26 weeks. Four patients had been waiting more than 26 weeks.

Mr Southern added: "Our aim is to contribute and collaborate with the local NHS and Welsh Ambulance Service Trust to help get our health service back on a normal footing.

"We will collect research data which will inform future health and social care development. We are not competitors or market disrupters but two experienced professionals who believe that through collaboration our local citizens will receive the treatment they deserve."