Hywel Dda University Health Board will ask members to approve public and staff consultation on plans to establish a dedicated Section 136 place of safety at Cwm Seren, St David’s Park, Carmarthen. The proposal follows a multi-agency review which concluded that a single, specialist facility would offer the safest and most clinically effective response for people detained by police under the Mental Health Act.
Why change is being proposed
The board’s recommendation comes after an assessment of existing arrangements identified environmental shortcomings and workforce pressures at several current sites. The options appraisal considered five different models and judged a dedicated suite at Cwm Seren to be best placed to:
- Provide rapid access to specialist mental health assessment and care;
- Improve the management of acute risk and immediate safeguarding needs;
- Ensure better access to physical healthcare when required;
- Offer a more sustainable staffing model across the region.
Planned engagement and next steps
If the Board gives approval at its meeting on 30 July, the health board will run an eight-week engagement period from 2 September to 26 October. The consultation will seek input from staff, people with lived experience, carers, partner organisations and local communities about the preferred option, its likely effects and possible mitigation measures.
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Board to consider proposal | 30 July |
| Public and staff engagement (proposed) | 2 Sept – 26 Oct |
Partners and responsibilities
The review was carried out jointly with partners including Dyfed‑Powys Police, local authorities, West Wales Action for Mental Health (WWAMH) and Llais. The report underlines that health boards have a statutory duty to provide places of safety for people taken under Section 136, a power that allows police to remove individuals in public who are thought to be a risk to themselves or others so they can be assessed and supported.
“People who are detained under Section 136 are often experiencing some of the most difficult moments of their lives, and it is essential that we provide a safe, supportive environment where they can receive timely assessment,”
The board has not yet taken a final decision. If members agree to proceed with engagement, responses collected during the consultation will inform any subsequent proposals and implementation plans. The health board has emphasised that the preferred option was selected on clinical, safety and sustainability grounds following the appraisal of alternatives.
Context and consequences
Creating a dedicated place of safety would change how acute mental health crises are managed in the Hywel Dda area. Supporters say a specialist suite can reduce delays in assessment and avoid the need to hold people in police custody or emergency departments while suitable arrangements are sought. At the same time, the shift will require careful planning around staffing, transport and local community impacts — matters the engagement process is intended to surface.
The outcome will be watched by practitioners, police partners and campaign groups for people with lived experience of mental health services. Any decision to proceed will require detailed operational planning to ensure that the statutory responsibilities of the health board are met without compromising care elsewhere in the system.
This article summarises the health board’s published proposal and the multi‑agency appraisal; it does not provide medical advice. Readers who are seeking support in a mental health crisis should follow local emergency guidance or contact appropriate health services.
