News

Life on the waiting list for medical treatment

Published

7 years ago

November 1, 2018

A PHOTOGRAPHER has spoken to The Herald about the effect delays in medical treatment have had on his quality of life and how the long wait for him to be treated has left him permanently disabled.

In the light of the WAO report on the gross delays in treatment suffered by those on waiting lists in Wales, we spoke to Mike Hillen about his experience of being stuck in limbo on a list.

Mike Hillen, a freelance photographer who contributes to this newspaper, never dreamt he would end up dependent on a mobility scooter and in adapted accommodation when he went to see his GP with swollen knees. He thought it was just the effects of his work on a window cleaning round.

About a fortnight later, Mike was alarmed to find the bottom of his right leg had become swollen and on Boxing Day 2014 went to Accident and Emergency. The staff were not sure whether he had Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT). Because of the Bank Holiday, he had to wait as an inpatient for an ultrasound scan.

Mike was told a baker’s cyst on the back of his knee had burst and caused the swelling. However, his pain continued and his knee and leg remained tender. His other leg also swelled and became painful.

Three months later, Mike had an MRI scan. The diagnosis was osteoarthritis in both knees and he was placed on the urgent list for a knee replacement.

‘Urgent’ implies the idea that an operation is imminently needed.

17 months later, Mike was given an appointment for a pre-op assessment. In the intervening period, Mike had become dependent on crutches and his mobility had decreased significantly.

With a clear pre-op assessment, Mike went in for his operation only for it to be cancelled when the surgeon decided the skin on his leg was too swollen and inflamed. He was then referred to a dermatologist, who referred him to a lymphedema clinic. When he attended the lymphedema clinic, he was told that his condition had been caused by the lengthy wait for the operation and his inability to keep the leg moving.

So he would be fit for the operation, Mike had intensive lymph-assist therapy and given a succession of creams to improve the condition of his leg’s skin.

In June 2017, Mike had to be rushed to hospital suffering from sepsis.

Over the following year, Mike’s long-term dependence on crutches to move around caused problems in his back.
It was December 2017 before he had his knee replacement.

It was too late to be of any practical benefit to him. By the time it came, Mike could no longer walk unassisted.

His back’s condition degenerated while he was dependent on crutches, leaving him with spinal stenosis – a narrowing of the spinal canal resulting in pressure on the spinal nerves and severe pain. By the time he had one knee replaced, the other had degenerated to the point at which it needs replacement. Because of the back pain, he wondering if it’s worth it.

Mike and his wife, Lou.

Mike wife Lou told us: “What is worst for him is he can’t do his window cleaning round he had built up and had to give up. He also gave up on being able to finish the coast path after walking 3/4 of it.

“He is now dependent on me to drive him around and to do things for him he enjoyed doing before. I have to apply the creams to ease the swelling in his legs.

“We are now almost 4 years on from the start of this and not much further forward.”

Mike still takes photos.

He can often be seen with Lou. He might be propped up on crutches or on his disability scooter, camera at the ready, but he attends rugby matches, events and uses the accessible areas of the Coast Path he loves to capture images of Pembrokeshire.

A keen drone user, Mike has found that while he cannot clamber over rocks and down steep slopes he is still able to get to those areas he can’t get to by using remote control.

He remains upbeat and a keen rugby fan. And the good news is that after a long wait, he and Lou have finally been able to move from their second storey flat to a disability-friendly bungalow.

Charity

Bassetts Motor Group donates electric van to support lifesaving charity

Published

9 hours ago

March 28, 2026

Tom Sinclair

BASSETTS Motor Group has donated an electric van to support the vital work of Wales Air Ambulance, providing a major boost to the charity’s day-to-day fundraising operations.

The South West Wales-based company has gifted a Citroën e-Berlingo for use until the end of the year — marking the first time the business has made a significant gift in kind to the charity.

Staff from Bassetts recently visited the charity’s headquarters in Dafen to hand over the vehicle, where they met with a medic and were given an insight into the critical care delivered by the service, including a tour of a rapid response car.

Ashley White, of Bassetts Motor Group, said: “Being a South West Wales-based business, we’ve seen first-hand the incredible work that Wales Air Ambulance does.

“We knew the charity relies heavily on fundraising and donations, so when we were looking for a cause to support, it felt like a natural choice.”

The van has been branded with the charity’s logo and information on how the public can support its lifesaving lottery.

Explaining the choice of vehicle, Ashley added: “We’re strong advocates of electric vehicles. Getting people behind the wheel often changes perceptions and helps overcome misconceptions about going electric.

“Citroën offered us a deal that made it possible for us to provide the van in this way, and we felt it would be perfectly suited to the charity’s fundraising needs.”

The Wales Air Ambulance delivers consultant-led emergency care across the country, bringing hospital-level treatment directly to patients and, where necessary, transferring them swiftly to the most appropriate specialist centres. This approach can save critical time and significantly improve survival and recovery outcomes.

The service operates through a unique partnership between the charity and the NHS, with the Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service providing highly skilled consultants and critical care practitioners who work onboard its aircraft and rapid response vehicles.

As a pan-Wales service, its crews cover the entire country, delivering emergency care wherever it is needed.

Nina Rice, Head of Fundraising High Value Partnerships at Wales Air Ambulance, said: “We are incredibly grateful to Bassetts Motor Group for this generous gift in kind.

“The use of the electric vehicle will make a real difference to our fundraising efforts, helping us reach more communities and raise vital funds.

“As a local company, Bassetts understands just how important our service is to people across Wales. This support will directly help us continue our lifesaving work.”

The charity must raise £13 million every year to keep its helicopters in the air and its rapid response vehicles on the road.

For more information, visit the Bassetts Motor Group website.

Community

Residents return home after major Carmarthenshire fire as probe continues

Published

10 hours ago

March 28, 2026

Tom Sinclair

RESIDENTS forced to evacuate their homes following a major fire in Kidwelly have now been allowed to return, as emergency services confirm the scene has been stood down.

The blaze broke out at a property on Lady Street in the early hours of Tuesday (March 24), with emergency services called at around 4:20am. Several neighbouring homes were evacuated as a precaution while firefighters tackled the incident and assessed the safety of surrounding buildings.

In the latest update, Dyfed-Powys Police confirmed that officers have now left the scene and displaced residents were able to return to their properties on Thursday evening (March 26), following work to make the affected building safe.

The incident caused significant disruption in the town, with Lady Street remaining closed while further work is carried out to ensure the safety of the highway and surrounding structures.

Emergency services, including Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, were on the scene for several hours during the initial response. Crews were understood to have dealt with a serious property fire, prompting a large-scale emergency operation in the centre of the town.

While the immediate danger has now passed, authorities have confirmed that investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing. Police are continuing to appeal for witnesses or anyone with relevant information to come forward.

Officers are particularly keen to hear from anyone who may have CCTV, doorbell, or dashcam footage from the area between 11:00pm on Monday (March 23) and 4:00am on Tuesday (March 24).

Anyone with information is urged to contact police quoting reference 027 of 24/3, either via 101, online, or anonymously through Crimestoppers.

Authorities thanked residents and the wider community for their patience during the incident, which saw homes evacuated and roads closed while emergency services carried out their work.

Further updates are expected as the investigation progresses.

Community

West Wales fire crews sharpen skills in major training exercise

Published

10 hours ago

March 28, 2026

Tom Sinclair

FIREFIGHTERS from across west Wales took part in a large-scale training exercise designed to sharpen operational skills and strengthen teamwork.

Crews from the Western Division of Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service attended the development day at Earlswood Training Centre on Sunday (March 22).

Personnel travelled from stations including Carmarthen, Tumble, Newcastle Emlyn, Milford Haven, Narberth and Pontyates to take part in the exercise.

Realistic scenarios

Firefighters were put through a series of realistic scenarios designed to reflect incidents they may face on duty.

These included house fires with people reported inside, kitchen fires, and multi-vehicle road traffic collisions. Crews also carried out specialist line rescue exercises as part of the day.

Support staff played the roles of casualties and members of the public, adding to the realism and allowing firefighters to test their responses in lifelike conditions.