The 25-bed unit at Ty Olwen in the city's Morriston Hospital provides palliative care for terminally-ill patients.

Ty Olwen provides a special environment not only for the patients themselves but also for their families

Sandra Owen, Swansea CHC

The hospice will continue to operate its day care centre and community based services until it re-opens the beds in September.

The news came as a religious community in Carmarthenshire agreed to buy an old peoples' home to set up a hospice.

Ty Olwen, currently has four vacant doctors posts and existing staff will be used to provide care services in the community.

Swansea NHS Trust said it regretted having to make the decision but it hopes to fill the vacant posts in July.

Director of Corporate Development Andrew Bellamy said: "It is not a decision we have taken lightly and because of the shortages we must direct our resources in the most appropriate manner."

Ty Olwen cost £500,000 to build and the unit opened its doors to patients for the first time in 1981.

The Brothers at prayer at Skanda Vale

Sandra Owen, Chief Officer of Swansea Community Health Council, said: "It is extremely sad that decisions have to be made to close any patient facility especially in this case for terminally ill patients.

"Ty Olwen provides a special environment not only for the patients themselves but also for their families.

"We hope Ty Olwen can get back to normal as soon as possible."

This is not the first time that services at Ty Olwen has been affected.

The hospice day care service was suspended for several months last year because of staff shortages.

However, there are fresh hopes for a hospice in rural Carmarthenshire.

The Skanda Vale religious community in Llanpumsaint is buying a former old peoples' home at Saron near Llandysul.

Earlier this week the community lost its appeal for planning permission to create a hospice to nurse terminally ill patients on a nearby site.