WORK is underway to construct an extension to Accident and Emergency at the Royal Gwent Hospital.

The extension will provide a new Minor Injuries assessment and treatment area to relieve pressure on the Major Injuries area and enable internal design and refurbishment. This £3.1m development will improve the infrastructure of the unit and provide a long term fit with the function of the department following the commissioning of the specialist and critical care centre. Due to the nature of the work, the car parking capacity has been reduced at the front of the Royal Gwent Hospital site to ensure the safety of patients and staff. Alternative parking is available in Mendalgief Road and at the public parking facilities in Park Square. Disabled drivers will be able to park on site, and patient drop off will be located opposite the main Physiotherapy department.

It was great to attend the recent ground-breaking ceremony for the next stage of St David’s Hospice Care in Malpas. The new £5m specialist 15 bed hospice will expand the in-patient palliative care service for terminally ill patients and their families, and will open in June 2017. Congratulations to all those involved in fundraising for this extremely important cause.

Similarly, it was fantastic to hear that construction has started on the UK’s first proton beam therapy cancer treatment centre. Based at Celtic Springs, the centre will revolutionise cancer treatment and is expected to be operational by 2017. This investment will put Newport and Wales on the map as a world class centre for life sciences, and place the city at the forefront of the future of cancer treatment.

Are you a regular user of the rail network? If so, the Welsh Government wants to hear your views. A public consultation has been launched to inform the specification for the next Wales and Borders rail franchise, which will include Metro rail services in South East Wales. The consultation seeks opinions on the priorities for improvements to the franchise including services and capacity, performance, rolling stock and ticketing. The consultation is the first stage of public and industry engagement to help develop the draft specification for the award of the next franchise, and is your chance to have a say about the future of rail in Wales. To participate in the consultation visit http://gov.wales/consultations/transport.

Keep up to date with my activities by visiting www.rosemarybutleram.co.uk or on Twitter @RosemaryButler.