South Wales Central MS Andrew RT Davies has demanded action from Labour Senedd ministers to address the appalling state of buildings at University Hospital of Wales.
Proposals were brought forward in 2020 to upgrade the hospital, which have so far not progressed.
UHW is Wales’ largest hospital, and is a vital component of health services provided to Mr Davies’ constituents in the Vale of Glamorgan and Cardiff.
Speaking in the Senedd, Mr Davies said that in recent months the proposals have “gone very quiet”, and requested details of action being taken to make the hospital a “fit-for-purpose unit”.
He said that in the long term, a new hospital and facilities must be delivered.
Mr Davies said:
“Heath Hospital is in an appalling state, with roofs leaking and other maintenance issues.
“My constituents in the Vale of Glamorgan rely on UHW, and its unacceptable that it has been allowed to deteriorate.
“Back in 2020, plans were brought forward to upgrade the hospital, but these have gone quiet.
“Not only does it need patching up in the short term, to make it a fit for purpose unit, in the long a new hospital and facilities must be delivered on the site.
“Senedd ministers have failed to address this issue for too long and they must take urgent action to correct their previous shortcomings.”
ENDS
NOTE: please find below the Senedd’s record of proceedings from 24th June 2025
https://record.senedd.wales/Plenary/15149#A98126
Andrew RT Davies
Can I lend voice to the calls that Heledd Fychan made earlier about the University Hospital of Wales, in particular the appalling state it finds itself in now with the roofs leaking there, and the recent report on the state of the theatres highlighting pigeons in those theatres and other maintenance issues? There were plans back in 2020 to bring forward proposals to upgrade the Heath hospital, indeed, build a new hospital, and the Welsh Government was integral in those proposals. In recent months, it’s gone very quiet, these proposals have. So, it’s important to try and understand what the Welsh Government, in conjunction with the health board, is doing to certainly patch up the hospital so it is a fit-for-purpose unit, but in the long term bring forward resourcing so that a new hospital and facilities can be adapted and delivered on that site.
Jane Hutt
Thank you very much, Andrew R.T. Davies. Of course, there have been reports, as you drew attention to, in terms of theatre provision and infrastructure and management. But, as I responded to the question from Heledd Fychan, this is all part of the opportunity we have now with our capital programme for health. It’s very much for the health board, as you say, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, to take this forward. But, inevitably, in terms of the huge project to actually replace or redevelop the University Hospital of Wales site, then work has to be done to make sure that the site and the hospital are fit for purpose, and recognising this is about staff and patients.