A NEW type of ventilator developed by a Glangwili Hospital doctor in Carmarthen to treat coronavirus patients has been approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

The device has been designed by Glangwili senior consultant Dr Rhys Thomas with the help of Maurice Clarke of CR Clarke & Co, an engineering company in Ammanford.

The Covid CPAP machine helps patients to breathe more easily and will now undergo clinical trials.

Dr Thomas, a consultant anaesthetist, devised the machine based on his extensive military and civilian experience in anaesthetics and resuscitation and advice from doctors fighting Covid-19 in Bergamo, Italy.

He said: "“Although it won't replace an ICU ventilator, the majority of patients won’t need intensive care if they are treated with this ventilator first, releasing ICU ventilators for more serious Covid-19 cases and other general medical cases.

“The machine has other benefits in that it will clean the room of viral particles and only supply purified air to the patient. The patient can self-care as specialist nurses are not required releasing them for other duties."

Professor Keir Lewis, respiratory lead for Hywel Dda health authority which covers Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire, said: “This potentially promising CPAP machine now has the appropriate plans and support across Wales to undergo a rapid and careful evaluation with patients and we await the outcome of these trials with interest.”

Carmarthenshire Council leader Cllr Emlyn Dole has welcomed the news and said: “This is a fantastic example of medical and technical expertise coming together at a critical time to meet the formidable challenge of dealing with this terrible virus.

“Hywel Dda Health Board must be commended for their faith in facilitating the project during this crisis, which is unprecedented in our lifetime.

“It is encouraging to see the local business sector bringing innovation and entrepreneurship to the fore in this present crisis.”

Hywel Dda University Health Board is having to adapt hospital wards to treat seriously ill coronavirus patients and local authorities are working closely with them to set up field hospitals across the region.

Cardigan Leisure Centre is one of the sites being converted into a temporary hospital to provide additional NHS bed space.