About the orthopaedic hub

November 2023

The Welsh Government has agreed funding of up to £29.4m for a new Orthopaedic hub at Llandudno Hospital to help reduce orthopaedic waiting times.

The new hub will transform elective orthopaedic services at Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board and provide benefits for patients, staff and the wider North Wales community, by delivering a planned 1,900 procedures a year.

Specializing in high volume, low complexity care, the dedicated hub will increase annual surgical activity. by providing orthopaedic services away from hospitals, it will reduce the effects unscheduled care can have on elective treatment and reduce the chance of surgeries being postponed.

The funding from Welsh Government will refurbish a vacant ward at Llandudno hospital to create 19 extra bed spaces, two new theatres and an eight bed enhanced recovery / Post-Anaesthetic Care unit.

Work at Llandudno hospital will start in February 2024 with the expectation that the hub will be operating at full capacity in early 2025. Elective Orthopaedic services will continue at Abergele Hospital until the new hub is built.

Once the hub is operational, patients who need an orthopaedic procedure that require a short stay in hospital could be offered their surgery at Llandudno. Patients will still be able to choose to have their surgery at their nearest general hospital if they wish.