Cardiff and Vale University Health Board is pleased to announce that a new service is being piloted for GPs in the Vale of Glamorgan for children between the ages of 8-12 who need blood tests.

The Paediatric Phlebotomy Service has two members of staff based at Barry Hospital with the clinic running on Wednesdays.

The process is that GPs issue a referral for blood tests for their young patients, the patient/family member then rings the service for an appointment and they are given an appointment date and time to visit Barry Hospital.

Previously, GPs in the Vale of Glamorgan had to refer children between 8-12 years old to the Noah's Ark Children's Hospital for Wales.

Now the service is being delivered closer to home for these young patients.

The Paediatric Phlebotomy room where the service is delivered has recently been updated with a beautiful mural by Rose McDonald which will hopefully distract children while having treatment.

As well as the new mural, Rose also decorated surrounding areas with jungle-themed signs.

The mural and signs have made the area a family friendly welcoming space.

The Paediatric Phlebotomy room forms part of a wider project funded by Cardiff & Vale Health Charity to improve the 'first impression' of all those visiting or working at Barry Hospital, and is the first of many exciting art projects planned for the coming year.