TWO houses have been refurbished for the families of the very smallest patients at the Grange University Hospital near Cwmbran.

This morning saw the official opening of two houses in Llanfrechfa, which have been refurbished by the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board (ABUHB).

The houses will provide accommodation for families while their baby is receiving treatment in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the Grange University Hospital.

The number of babies born prematurely or needing some support from NICU wards across the UK is ten per cent.

In the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board area that equates to around 500 babies each year.

This can be an incredibly stressful time for parents, often travelling between home and the hospital wanting to be near to their baby. These houses provide a home from home.

South Wales Argus:

Samantha Rowlands, whose son Toby has been in NICU for five weeks, has been staying in one of the houses since it opened to families three weeks ago.

“At first, I was getting taxis back and forth, which was £35 each way so a huge financial cost," she said.

"Now I’m staying here I’m closer to the baby and get that bit of respite from the hospital. Coming back here feels a bit more home from home really and a big weight lifted off my shoulders.”

Ms Rowlands is staying at the house with her older son Beaux and last week even held his first birthday party there.

She said: “It’s nice to talk to people in the same boat and you can share your experience with each other."

Sue Papworth, consultant neonatologist, said: “It allows the families to take a breather, come off the unit and spend some time where it feels more like being at home.”

How has the Grange University Hospital fared since it opened?

The hospital opened to treat the most seriously ill and injured patients in the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board region.

The project received £350 million in Welsh Government funding, with a further £10 million investment to get up and running ahead of schedule.

Following the early opening of part of the hospital, an additional £10 million in Welsh Government funding was granted to enable the hospital to fully open in autumn 2020.

However, it is safe to say that it has not had the easiest ride.

Last year, there were numerous reports of long waits both inside and in ambulances outside the hospital.

Ambulance crews have spent more than 2,000 hours a month outside the Grange University Hospital, on average, since it opened.

As the Argus has reported previously, a series of "patient flow" bottlenecks in health and social care have contributed to a chain reaction of delays in hospitals, with long waits for discharges leading to a lack of beds for those who arrive at the front door.

In one month alone, ambulance crews lost 3,155 hours because they had to wait outside the Grange.

However, there are positives too, with plans for a new inpatient mental health unit at the site.