Charles attends garden party at Valleys hospital
THE Prince of Wales visited a hospital within NHS architect Aneurin Bevan’s former constituency yesterday to mark 70 years of the NHS.
Charles attended Ysbyty Aneurin Bevan, in Ebbw Vale, to celebrate the anniversary with patients and staff.
During a garden party, he recounted how he received treatment for a broken arm after falling from his horse during a game of polo.
Jessica Thomas, 33, a clinical specialist physiotherapist, spoke to the prince after offering him a ride on an exercise bike.
Charles, dressed in a suit, replied: “No thank you, not today,” before chatting to the physiotherapy team.
Miss Thomas said: “He was lovely. He had broken his arm previously – he said he was caught between two horses.
“He said he had a wonderful physio. He came home with a sling and the physio told him first of all to get rid of the sling and keep moving. He was saying how important it is to keep everybody moving. I said, ‘Absolutely, that’s the key to life’.”
She described Charles’ visit as “absolutely wonderful” and said it had caused much excitement among the staff.
The 107-bed unit serves the local population of Blaenau Gwent and provides general inpatient and mental health beds as well as radiology, physiotherapy and occupational therapy.
There are a range of outpatient services including a birthing suite and minor injuries unit.
When Charles arrived at the hospital, which opened in October 2010, he was greeted by staff including mental health nurses.
He asked the group: “Did you all have your babies here?” to which they laughed and replied: “No Sir, we’re all in our fifties.”