Urgent roof repairs are underway at the Princess of Wales Hospital following serious leaks

URGENT repair work is underway at the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend after heavy rain over the weekend caused water to enter several areas of the building. The hospital, which already had its roof repaired, suffered additional damage when heavy rains exacerbated an existing problem and caused ceiling damage in various parts of the facility.

Some patients have been moved to alternative wards, while a number of non-urgent appointments have been postponed as staff work to get the situation under control. The leaks occurred in areas of the hospital where the roof was already in need of maintenance and repair work was underway in advance of the recent storm.

Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board chief operating officer Gethin Hughes praised the quick response from hospital staff. “We are extremely grateful to our staff for their quick response to this issue and for ensuring the safety of our patients,” he said.

Hughes continued: “We were aware that the Princess of Wales Hospital's roof required maintenance and repair work was already underway when the recent storm caused the situation to deteriorate. “This is how we manage the impact of any damage the ceiling in several parts of the hospital, including some patient care areas. In these circumstances, patients will be transferred quickly and carefully to alternative, unaffected wards and clinical areas.”

Despite the disruption, most of the hospital's services remain unaffected. Hughes assured the public that while some disruption was inevitable, staff were working hard to minimize the impact. “We would like to thank people for their cooperation and patience as we carry out the necessary work to assess and manage the situation.”

The health authority has advised patients to keep their scheduled appointments unless they are contacted directly to make alternative arrangements. The public is also asked to only use the hospital's emergency department for critical or life-threatening illnesses in order to manage the increased burden on the facility.

Meanwhile, planned maintenance work on the hospital's maternity unit, which began in September, is expected to continue over the planned 12-week period.

The hospital is working to resolve the roof issues as quickly as possible to ensure a safe environment for all patients and staff.