Adult Mental Health Place of Safety 

Share your view on the adult mental health place of safety 

Hywel Dda University Health Board is engaging on the future location of its adult Section 136 Place of Safety service. 

Section 136 of the Mental Health Act allows police officers to take a person experiencing a mental health crisis in a public place to a designated place of safety, where they can receive an assessment and appropriate support. The Health Board has a statutory responsibility to provide this service.

A multi-agency options appraisal has identified a dedicated Section 136 suite at Cwm Seren at St David’s Park, Carmarthen, as the preferred option for future adult provision. 

The proposal follows a review of existing facilities, which highlighted environmental and staffing challenges across a number of sites, and extensive work with partners including Dyfed-Powys Police, local authorities, West Wales Action for Mental Health (WWAMH) and Llais. 

The engagement will seek views from staff, service users, carers, partner organisations and local communities on the preferred option and its potential impacts. 

The preferred option was identified following an assessment of five possible models. The appraisal concluded that a dedicated facility at Cwm Seren would provide the safest, most clinically effective and sustainable model of care. 

This would offer immediate access to specialist mental health support, improved management of acute risk, and better access to physical healthcare services when required. 

We would like to understand how this change will impact patients and are inviting you to share your views by completing the questionnaire by Monday 26 October, 2026. 

You can complete the survey online on www.haveyoursay.hduhb.wales.nhs.uk

This survey is anonymous.

For paper copies of the questionnaire please telephone the Health Board’s Communications Hub on 0300 303 8322 (option 5).

If you have any questions, please contact Hyweldda.Engagement@wales.nhs.uk