The establishment of a major trauma unit for South Powys has been approved by health boards, it has been announced.

All health boards in the proposed areas of Mid and South-West Wales agreed the move at their meetings this week, which will see a major trauma unit for the treatment of serious injuries established at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff.

Patients in Montgomeryshire and North Wales are transferred into the West Midlands trauma units in Stoke-On-Trent and Birmingham, but Brecon and Radnorshire were amongst the only areas of the UK without a major trauma centre.

Nicola Jenkins, Communications Consultant for NHS Wales said: "We are delighted to confirm that following consideration of the evidence and the recommendations of an independent expert panel; a formal public consultation and engagement with local Community Health Councils, all Health Boards in south west Wales and Powys have today approved the establishment of a Major Trauma Network for the region. This includes a Major Trauma Centre located at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff.

"This represents a major step forward in improving care for those patients who suffer a major trauma and we would like to thank everyone who has been involved in this process.

"The Health Boards will now be working together to establish an implementation programme which will continue to involve all CHCs and stakeholders."

The recommendations were generated by an Independent Panel of experts including the Chairs and Chief Executives of the seven Health Boards in Wales and formed the basis of a 12 week public consultation exercise which ended in February.

The Health Board Chief Executives then commissioned an Independent Panel, made up of experts in trauma and rehabilitation services from across the UK, to review the information and evidence available and make a recommendation on the establishment of the network including the preferred location of a major trauma centre in the region.

The NHS Wales proposal says: "South Wales is the only region in England and Wales that is not part of a major trauma network, which means that patients do not have access to a designated major trauma centre. The development of a major trauma network for the region will be a significant step forward in providing emergency care in Wales and will build on the current service, providing greater expertise to meet the needs of individuals and cope with mass casualty events."