Plans have been approved for a new £350 million hospital near Cwmbran, Wales.

The Welsh Health Secretary, Vaughan Gething, has backed proposals to build the new Specialist and Critical Care Centre (SCCC) in Llanfrechfa Grange.

Final tender costs for the scheme are yet to be agreed, however it is expected the facility will open in 2022.

Once completed, the SCCC will treat patients who need complex and acute emergency care in the Gwent region. In addition, the project forms a key part of the Clinical Futures strategy which aims to modernise health services in Gwent.

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Mr Gething said: "I know there has been a high level of public and political interest in this project and after careful consideration I'm delighted to have approved the full business case for the SCCC. I will now release capital funding from 2016/17 to 2021/22 to build what will be a state of the art hospital in Gwent.

"The SCCC has had strong support locally and through public consultation on the South Wales Programme.  I am confident that bringing together complex and more acute services on one hospital site will allow the local health board to secure a range of benefits which will improve the quality of care for patients."

(LM)