News

Centralising care causes Carmarthen chaos

Published

12 years ago

January 8, 2015

GLANGWILI Hospital , Carmarthen is creaking under the strain of delivering services on its already crowded site. Parking at West Wales General Hospital is chaotic and little thought has been given to accommodating those with relatives who need long term care and who do not have an endless supply of cash to pay for overnight stays in hotels. Social media abounds with the stories of many Pembrokeshire parents who have been less than impressed with the services provided for their sick or injured children and are calling for the return of 24 hour paediatric care – as a minimum – to Haverfordwest.

We spoke with health campaigner David Williams and young mum Jamie-lee Irving about their experiences at West Wales General Hospital. “The truth about the safety net” The transfer of services from Haverfordwest to Carmarthen has caused and continues to cause serious problems at West Wales General Hospital with no end in sight, as the Board continues to force more services away from Pembrokeshire and up to Carmarthen. Before services were moved, Welsh Health Minister Mark Drakeford promised a “robust safety net” would be in place before services were transferred.

Earlier this year, we revealed that Mr Drakeford’s idea of a safety net was a solitary “dedicated” ambulance for which staff– at that time – had not been recruited. Since that time, the Board has transferred 24 hour paediatric care from Haverfordwest, again with the re-assurance that service levels would not be affected and patients would experience little or no change in their experience of care. Ina letter to a local health campaigner, Mark Drakeford has claimed that a “park and ride” scheme will alleviate problems at the cramped Carmarthen site.

A letter to the minister

David Williams of Pembrokeshire Health Concern became aware of problems with overcrowding at Glangwili Hospital, and began compiling a dossier of issues that have arisen since the Board pressed on with its cuts to Pembrokeshire’s essential services. Mr Williams told The Herald: “I was recently in Carmarthen so drove around Glangwili to see for myself and it was unbelievable.

To mention a few issues, there were cars parked on yellow lines, half on and half off pavements, and double parked. “I mentioned this to shop keepers in Carmarthen town and they said it has become horrendous with many nurses going in 2 hours before shift just to try and get a parking space. “When consultant-led maternity services were moved, the refurbishment of existing wards at Carmarthen was incomplete. I have been told alterations will take up to 2 years to complete. “It seems pretty obvious that the Local Health Board pushed ahead with changes in the full knowledge that everything was not in place.”

Appalled, David wrote to Mark Drakeford and suggested he paid an unannounced visit to Glangwili to see the chaos for himself. Mark Drakeford’s reply revealed the extent of the Welsh Government’s indifference to the effects its policies are having and the truth about the much-lauded “safety net”. Far from there being a safety net in place, it is only now – after the transfer of vital services – that the Board and the Welsh Government are doing what Mark Drakeford assured everyone would be in place BEFORE that transfer took place.

After receiving Mark Drakeford’s response, David Williams wrote again to the Minister and told The Herald: “I went to Glangwili after car parking had been maximised. Judging by posts on Facebook pages many members of the public are unaware of social care vehicles or “dedicated discharge vehicles”; either because they are not informed by staff, or because none is available when needed.

“I am concerned that the Minister thinks that an arrangement that might be acceptable for visitors is also acceptable for women in labour, sick children, or the elderly & infirm. Those people, having been transported by car drivers appear to be expected, after a long journey of possibly over an hour’s length, to park at the showground, wait up to ½ an hour for bus and then another 15 minutes in bus to get to hospital. Alternatively those without cars take a train and bus ride from train station!” He continued: “Unfortunately the Minister did not reply to my question, ‘what went wrong?’.

Things were definitely not in place before moving services from Withybush as he promised and it now seems to be a catch up situation due to poor planning, no understanding of knock on effects and indecent haste in implementing.”

Drakeford’s response

“Following the decision to concentrate inpatient obstetric, neonatal and paediatric services at Glangwili Hospital, car parking at the site has been maximised, with additional spaces having been made available in October. “Hywel Dda University Health Board already has a number of measures in place to alleviate pressures on parking availability. For instance, at both Prince Philip and Glangwili Hospitals, there are social care vehicles, which transport patients for outpatient appointments as part of local partnership agreements.

Similarly there are ‘dedicated discharge vehicles’ available to support their Welsh Ambulance NHS Trust colleagues. “As part of the ongoing work of the Transport Accessibility Group, there is membership from the confederation of patient transport to ensure there is regular dialogue with bus companies to enhance local public transport provision. “Discussions have taken place between the Health Board and Carmarthenshire County Council, who are keen to progress this issue.

“The current Park and Ride facility at Nantyci (Carmarthen Showground) has 400 car parking spaces, of which there is 75% capacity available. A proposal has been put forward to extend the current Park and Ride service to Glangwili Hospital, to run every half hour from 7am to 6.30pm which will take approximately 15 minutes, at a cost of £1 per day for patients and members of staff (or free for those in receipt of concessionary fares).

“In addition, the proposal will also explore the greater use of rail links into Carmarthen and the potential to include the railway station with the proposed hospital shuttle service. “Given the cost elements involved, once the proposal has been fully worked up, it will be submitted to the health board’s strategy and planning committee for approval, and it is anticipated this will take place by the end of March 2015.

“The new central transport unit in the health board will be taking stock of all current car parking arrangements in the coming months. “I hope this response is helpful. Should you have any additional concerns, I am sure the health board would be happy to discuss them with you further.”

THE GLANGWILI EXPERIENCE

The Pembrokeshire Herald contacted one mum, after her story appeared on the SWAT Facebook page. Jamie-lee Irving is a young mum with twins. We asked Jamielee could we use her story, one of many on the SWAT Facebook page, as a representative of the many there. The below are her words, her story: “I have twins. One of which was very poorly earlier this year. “Over the past 4 weeks, one of the twins has been poorly pretty much constantly.

Initially being diagnosed with tonsillitis on Ward 9. “After suffering a febrile convulsion at home due to a soaring temp, I took him to A&E at Withybush by car. “After 2 courses of antibiotics, he seemed to be getting better. Towards the middle of last week (the week ending Sunday, Dec 14) he totally went off his food/milk. He wouldn’t take more than 2-3oz and every time he managed to take a feed, he was vomiting.

This went on for 3 days solid. “He awoke at 12:15am, Saturday morning (Dec 13), I assumed for a feed. He was very unhappy, grizzly and generally not himself. He took 2oz and I put him back to bed. He began coughing violently, so I picked him up: he vomited everywhere. “I rang care on call who advised me to go straight to Glangwili. As I was packing a bag, he was sat on the sofa with my husband. He had another febrile convulsion.

This time I rang 999 straight away. “Then the ‘Glangwili Experience’ began. “The ambulance arrived. The paramedic took my son’s temperature, which had gone up since I’d taken it myself. They were very blasé about the whole thing and not overly concerned about the situation. “I was told I’d have to go to Glangwili, which I knew anyway. So off we went. I was strapped to a stretcher holding my 10 month old baby.

Everyone knows how rough a ride is in an ambulance… I almost dropped him 4 times as he wasn’t secured at all! “His oxygen SATS were taken with an adult probe, and therefore showed a terribly low reading, causing me to panic. I was told not to worry as the probe wouldn’t give a true reading anyway!! “I have to ask: why use it in the first place if this is the case?!

“The paramedic fell asleep for a lot of the journey and the ambulance was ill-equipped to deal with a child, let alone a baby. “I cannot fault the night staff at Glangwili at all. “We were seen almost immediately, given a side room as soon as one was available and brought tea and coffee by the nurses. The rest of the night my son was observed and allowed to sleep. The changeover happened around 8:00am, though we hadn’t seen a doctor or nurse since 5am “We were left in a side room not knowing what was happening.

We only saw a nurse at 11:30am because I enquired about what was happening. “I was told three different things by three different doctors, and finally told – by the most awfully rude nurse I’ve ever met: ‘You can go now as we need this bed’. “No medicine, no explanation… nothing. “I was still worried so took him to Withybush Ward 9 on Sunday. “We were seen immediately by the most amazing consultant I’ve ever met. She explained to me in 15 minutes what I’ve been wanting someone to tell me for almost 9 months; namely, what’s wrong with my son and how to manage it.

“He spent a few hours on Ward 9 and was then sent home with a special pump to help his cough/ breathing and has kept all his food and drinks down since. “Such a shame that this has happened to our hospital at Withybush. Bring back Ward 9 and its nurses and doctors and stop this silliness!” The Pembrokeshire Herald would like to hear your experiences of Glangwili Hospital since the transfer of services from Withybush. Whether negative or positive, please send your stories to [email protected].

Business

Specialist aviation firm Metal Seagulls to close Haverfordwest Airport operation

Published

6 hours ago

July 13, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Solvent wind-down will end nearly 11 years of light aircraft engineering and support, with hangar operations stopping in August

A SPECIALIST Pembrokeshire aviation company has announced that it is to close its Haverfordwest Airport operation after directors concluded that it was no longer commercially viable.

Metal Seagulls Ltd confirmed on Monday (July 13) that it will begin a voluntary and solvent wind-down, bringing nearly 11 years of light aircraft engineering, fabrication and builder support to an end.

The company expects to suspend operations from its airport hangar at the end of August, with its machinery, tooling and production equipment now being offered for sale.

Metal Seagulls stressed that the decision was not the result of insolvency and that the business would be closed in an orderly manner over the coming months.

Directors said the decision followed a detailed examination of operating costs, together with personal challenges which had affected the company’s ability to continue running its workshops in their current form.

Jonathan Porter, director of Metal Seagulls Ltd, said: “We are sad to see Metal Seagulls close its hangar doors after nearly eleven years of service, but it is the right decision with the economic and personal challenges faced by the company and its directors at this time.”

Mr Porter suffered a leg injury in 2025 and continues to experience mobility problems. The company said this had prevented him from providing significant physical support to the workshops during the past nine months.

Fellow director Patricia Porter said the decision had not been taken lightly.

“This has not been an easy decision, but after a thorough review of our cost base, the directors believe it is the right one for the business,” she said.

“We are grateful to our customers, suppliers and the wider light aviation community for their support over the years, and we intend to work closely with clients during the wind-down to keep disruption to a minimum, ensuring where possible ongoing support as applicable.”

Founded in 2016, Metal Seagulls has operated from Haverfordwest Airport since 2021.

The family-run company has supplied parts, engineering services, CNC production, custom fabrication and practical support to aircraft builders, manufacturers and specialist operators.

Its customers and programmes have extended far beyond Pembrokeshire, reaching across the UK, Ireland, Iceland, the Falkland Islands and parts of Africa.

The company has also worked to encourage young people and under-represented groups to consider careers in aviation and engineering. It previously hosted public events and educational visits at its Haverfordwest workshops.

Its closure will therefore represent the loss of a distinctive specialist engineering and aviation presence at the airport.

A substantial collection of manufacturing machinery is now available for sale, including a Kimla CNC routing, milling and cutting system and a 120-tonne Morgan Rushworth CNC press brake used to produce specialist light aircraft components.

The production equipment can be sold separately or as an established light aviation fabrication cell, potentially accompanied by introductions to existing customers and production programmes.

Other assets being offered include aircraft engine cowling moulds, an electric forklift, a box pan folder, an English wheel, a manual beading machine, an industrial guillotine, a plasma cutter and table, workshop racking, a drill press, a band saw and a media blasting cabinet.

The equipment is being offered on an as-seen and where-is basis, subject to contract.

The directors said they would do everything reasonably possible to support customers and partners during the transition.

Details have not yet been released about the number of jobs or contractors affected by the closure.

Asset enquiries can be directed to Jonathan Porter, with contact details on the Metal Seagulls Facebook page.

Health

New booking system brings hope at Argyle, but surgery pressures far from over

Published

7 hours ago

July 13, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Additional GP and health checks welcomed as BMA warns more than half of Welsh doctors cannot routinely meet demand

THERE are signs of improvement at one of Pembrokeshire’s most heavily pressured GP practices, but fresh figures suggest the problems facing Argyle Medical Group are far from resolved.

Henry Tufnell MP has welcomed the introduction of a new appointment system at the Argyle Street surgery in Pembroke Dock, together with what he described as the arrival of an additional doctor and the rollout of free health screening for patients aged over 65.

The Mid and South Pembrokeshire MP said he had received positive feedback about the practice’s new booking arrangements, following months of concern over difficulties securing appointments.

Argyle Medical Group introduced its Anima online triage system on June 10. It replaced the previous online system and was intended to reduce the familiar 8am rush for appointments.

Patients submit details of their medical problem online, after which the request is assessed and directed to the most appropriate clinician or service. Those unable to use the internet can still contact the surgery by telephone and reception staff can complete the request on their behalf.

The practice says it aims to assess requests on the same day, although some routine matters may take longer.

However, the system does not remove the underlying issue of limited capacity.

Argyle has warned that Anima may close to further medical submissions when the number of requests reaches the maximum level the practice believes it can safely manage.

Patients may then have to try again on the following working day, although those with urgent concerns are advised to contact the surgery, NHS 111 or emergency services as appropriate.

The pressure is also being increased by the continuing closure of St Oswald’s Surgery in Pembroke, which is part of Argyle Medical Group.

The branch remains closed for maintenance work and is currently not expected to reopen until September 2026.

Argyle Medical Group serves more than 22,000 patients across the Pembroke and Pembroke Dock area. Previous figures raised in the Senedd indicated that the practice had nine registered GPs, giving it one of the highest patient-to-doctor ratios in Wales.

Mr Tufnell’s announcement that another doctor has joined the practice will therefore be welcomed, although it is not yet clear whether the appointment is permanent or full-time.

The developments come as new research from BMA Cymru Wales paints a bleak picture of general practice across the country.

A survey of 221 Welsh GPs found that 54 per cent believed patient access was routinely inadequate when compared with demand.

A further 63 per cent said excessive workloads were routinely or constantly affecting patient care, while 70 per cent said the pressure was having a similar effect on their own wellbeing.

Practices are also making difficult financial decisions to remain viable. The survey found that 43 per cent had frozen recruitment, 31 per cent had delayed investment in buildings, technology or facilities, and 23 per cent had reduced services such as minor surgery and shared-care arrangements.

Dr Gareth Oelmann, chair of the BMA’s Welsh GP committee, said demand was far outstripping the capacity available within surgeries.

He called for sustained investment to allow practices to recruit more doctors, improve services and plan for the future.

Welsh Conservatives have blamed what they described as years of political mismanagement for the situation.

Natasha Asghar MS, the party’s Shadow Minister for Health and Social Care, said: “These findings are deeply worrying but, sadly, they won’t come as a surprise to patients who are struggling to get a GP appointment.

“When GP practices cannot recruit staff, are forced to freeze investment and are even cutting services just to keep their doors open, it is patients who pay the price through longer waits and poorer access to care.

“If we are serious about shifting more healthcare into the community and reducing pressure on hospitals, then general practice must be properly resourced.”

For Argyle patients, the new booking system and reported recruitment of another doctor represent positive steps.

The more important test will be whether patients experience sustained improvements, whether the system regularly reaches its daily limit, and whether the practice can recruit and retain enough clinicians to meet the needs of its large patient population.

Community

Tenby lifeboats launched to two separate kayak incidents

Published

7 hours ago

July 13, 2026

Tom Sinclair

RNLI crews were called to Pendine and Amroth within minutes of each other on a busy Sunday afternoon

BOTH of Tenby’s lifeboats were launched on Sunday afternoon following separate reports involving kayakers along the Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire coastline.

The all-weather lifeboat was requested shortly before 4.30pm on July 12 after RNLI lifeguards at Pendine raised concerns about a kayaker who had left the beach earlier in the afternoon but had not returned.

The kayak could no longer be seen from the shore, prompting Tenby’s volunteer crew to launch and make their way towards the area.

As the lifeboat arrived, the Coastguard received a call from the kayaker confirming they were safe and well at Morfa Bychan beach and did not require assistance.

The crew was stood down from the search but was immediately redirected to assist Tenby’s inshore lifeboat with a second incident off Amroth.

The inshore lifeboat had been launched after a member of the public dialled 999 and reported seeing a kayaker who appeared to be waving between Amroth and Monkstone.

A local fishing vessel, which had heard the Coastguard broadcast asking nearby boats to look out for the kayak, located the man before the lifeboats arrived.

The inshore lifeboat was soon alongside, where the kayaker confirmed he had been fishing and was not in difficulty.

Both the inshore and all-weather lifeboats were then stood down and returned safely to Tenby.