News

Health board statement on ’20-year journey’ in full

Published

8 years ago

September 26, 2018

THIS is the full statement from Chief Executive Steve Moore of Hywel Dda University Health Board following the extraordinary meeting on Wednesday (Sept 26) at County Hall, Carmarthen:

HEALTH BOARD STATEMENT

Hywel Dda University Health Board will embark on an ambitious 20-year journey to transform the way we receive health care and support in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and borders, it was decided at a public board meeting.

Twelve recommendations from clinicians (doctors, nurses and a range of healthcare professionals such as health scientists and therapists) were approved and can be read in full here https://bit.ly/2NJxft5.

Headline decisions included:

more investment will be made in the integration of social care with health and well-being across the seven localities (north and south Ceredigion, north and south Pembrokeshire, Taf/Tywi, Amman/Gwendraeth and Llanelli)
a hospital model, will be adopted and includes:
- a business case to be made for a new hospital in the south of Hywel Dda (somewhere between Narberth and St Clears) to provide specialist urgent and emergency care services and planned care
- hospital services to be retained and developed at Bronglais Hospital, Aberystwyth, in-line with the Mid Wales Joint Health & Social Care Committee recognising importance of hospital in delivery of services to populations of Ceredigion, Powys and South Gwynedd
- acute medicine (hospital services that need medical input) to be retained at Prince Philip Hospital, Llanelli, following recent modernisation of services developed with the local community and serving a densely populated area
- re-purposing Glangwili (Carmarthen) and Withybush (Haverfordwest) hospitals to support community health needs including overnight beds, day case procedures, out-patient and walk-in services such as minor injuries and much more

This follows one of the largest local NHS consultations in the UK (Hywel Dda Our Big NHS Change), which was held between April and July, and which saw a huge and passionate response from the local population. Responses included more than 5,400 questionnaires, 4,000 attendees at events and workshops, hundreds of written submissions, five petitions and extensive social media debate.

Board members considered all they heard from patients, staff, the general public and interested organisations, not just during the consultation, but also in the pre-consultation engagement and option development period.

They also considered recommendations made by Hywel Dda Community Health Council, the clinical viewpoint following consultation, and other matters including safety standards the NHS has to meet and the ability to provide services in the future.

Whilst some key decisions were made, the health board received really insightful feedback from people during the consultation and wants to investigate further, and demonstrate, some developments, including:

commitment to work with people and organisations to develop integrated networks (as opposed to hubs) which are unique to the needs of their community and to consider the geographical areas highlighted in the consultation as gaps in current provision

work with the community on an early model of the above in Pembrokeshire, focusing on the ability to provide more community based care 24/7 and to demonstrate how it could work and the impact it could have
work with local people to explore potential for a range of different types of beds within the local community – whether in existing community hospitals, at home or another setting review, test and challenge the model for acute medicine to be responsive to demand and changes in patient flows associated with the whole system change
work closely with Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board on services where patients could benefit from a regional approach
examine the opportunities a new hospital and community model could offer maternity and child health services to ensure doctor and midwifery led care, and care for children (paediatrics) and sick babies (neonatal) are maintained within the boundaries of the Hywel Dda area
align with the transformation work in mental health services to ensure mental health and learning disability assessment and treatment units are provided at the new urgent and planned care hospital
investigate the practicalities and impacts (through a feasibility study and options appraisal) of locations between Narberth and St Clears for the new hospital
work with people living and working in the areas furthest from a new hospital to provide additional support for emergency and urgent care (potential to look at things like placing paramedics within in a community as opposed to within a vehicle)
respond to public anxiety over the ability to manage emergency conditions that are time sensitive (e.g. ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction STEMI, stroke and sepsis) consider the opportunities a new hospital in the south would provide Bronglais Hospital
work closely with other organisations, including county councils and the third sector, to develop Glangwili and Withybush hospitals
develop a detailed plan to address concern heard in consultation regarding access, travel, transport and infrastructure, working with the Regional Transport Group, communities (including those with protected characteristics in response to the difficulties we heard about from people and the equality impact assessment) and Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust
formally state the Health Board’s support for building a case for provision of a 24/7 service to bring medics to the scene of an accident (e.g. the Emergency Medical Retrieval Transport Service, which operates 12 hours a day and CHANTS (Neonatal Retrieval Service))
develop a plan to maximise use of technology in health and care, backed up by secure IT so patient data is safe and joined up between services in the hospital and community
put in place a staff plan to deliver future models and provide opportunities for staff
work with education and university partners to train a workforce with the skills and expertise to work in the new service model, and drive research, innovation and evaluation into our service development
continue to talk the public, staff and interested organisation about all that we do, especially focusing on people with protected characteristics

Chief Executive Steve Moore said: “Today is a hugely momentous day as we confirm we will take a new direction to providing much more preventative and community based healthcare to our population. We’ve heard the concern people have with current healthcare provision and our ability to deliver this sea-change in the years to come but our clinicians have led this work and we believe what has been put before us today offers us the best chance to deal with the fragility our NHS faces and to provide the population with safe, effective care that meets their needs.”

Chair Bernardine Rees added: “We are really grateful to everyone who got involved in our consultation as it has given us really rich feedback. Our ambition is to continue that conversation and input so that we can grow services in our seven localities, using schemes we have already delivered, such as the front of house project at Prince Philip Hospital and Tenby walk-in, as the basis of what can be achieved.”

The next step will be for clinicians and staff to work with the public and other organisations to bring the additional detail together into a draft Health Strategy to put before public Health Board at the end of November.

Medical Director and Director of Clinical Strategy Dr Philip Kloer said: “We’re aware that some people, particularly those who live furthest from the new hospital zone between Narberth and St Clears may be anxious about these changes. They will not happen overnight and we are committed to working with those communities and our partners to demonstrate and test what additional provision can be made, particularly for time-sensitive emergency conditions.

“For example we are working with partners to build the case for the Emergency Medical Retrieval Team (doctors who are brought to the scene to treat and then transfer) and CHANTS (the Neonatal Retrieval Team) to be a 24-hour service, and also investigating the potential to place advanced paramedics in communities so they are available solely to that community.

“Another important factor in providing life-saving treatment is getting people quickly to the definitive hospital which will provide their care. At the moment, people in our coastal areas of Pembrokeshire have to travel to Glangwili for some treatment, which in the future, we will be able to offer at a more equitable location, for the south of Hywel Dda, in the new hospital zone.”

The new hospital will be dependent also on a full business case, which will be made to the Welsh Government.

international news

US surveillance aircraft hit in Iranian strike on Saudi base

Published

14 minutes ago

March 29, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A US AIR FORCE E-3 Sentry airborne warning and control aircraft appears to have been heavily damaged — and possibly destroyed — during an Iranian missile and drone strike on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia on Friday (March 27).

Images circulating online, now also carried by The New York Times and other international outlets, show the rear fuselage of an E-3 burned out, with its distinctive radar dome separated and lying on the tarmac nearby. The extent of the visible damage suggests the aircraft may be beyond repair, although US officials have not formally confirmed the loss.

Reports cited by the The Jerusalem Post indicate that between ten and twelve American service personnel were wounded in the attack, with at least two said to be in a serious condition. The strike, which took place around 60 miles south of Riyadh in the early hours, is understood to have involved a coordinated barrage including at least one ballistic missile alongside multiple attack drones.

The same reports claim that other aircraft at the base may also have been damaged, including KC-135 Stratotanker refuelling aircraft, although this has not been independently verified.

Prince Sultan Air Base has been a key hub for US air operations in the region and has reportedly come under repeated attack in recent weeks. According to the Jerusalem Post, earlier incidents included a strike that wounded fourteen personnel earlier in the week, and a missile attack on March 1 which is said to have killed one servicemember.

High-value target

The E-3 Sentry is one of the most important aircraft in the US military’s inventory. Based on a modified Boeing 707 airframe, it is equipped with a large rotating radar dome providing 360-degree surveillance over hundreds of miles. The aircraft acts as a flying command centre, coordinating fighters, tracking threats, and managing complex air operations in real time.

The US Air Force originally operated around thirty E-3 aircraft, although that number has now been reduced to approximately sixteen as the ageing fleet is gradually retired. Around six had reportedly been deployed to the Middle East ahead of the current conflict.

Each aircraft cost roughly $270 million to build in the 1990s, which would equate to approximately $500 million to $700 million (£400m–£550m) today. However, analysts say the true value of the platform lies not in its price tag, but in the critical role it plays in maintaining air superiority and battlefield coordination.

Heather Penney, a former F-16 pilot and analyst at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, described the potential loss as “incredibly problematic,” noting that such aircraft act as the “chessmaster” of modern air warfare, overseeing and directing operations across the battlespace.

Strategic implications

If confirmed, the loss or severe damage of an E-3 would represent a significant blow to US and allied operations in the region. The aircraft provides early warning of incoming threats and enables the coordination of large-scale air campaigns — capabilities that are difficult to replace quickly.

The strike may also highlight increasing sophistication in Iranian targeting. The Jerusalem Post reports that the attack appeared to focus on high-value assets, suggesting access to detailed intelligence on aircraft positions and operational patterns at the base. However, claims of external intelligence support have not been independently verified.

The incident underlines the vulnerability of even heavily defended installations to coordinated missile and drone attacks, and raises further concerns about escalation in an already volatile region.

At the time of publication, US officials had not issued a detailed public assessment of the damage or confirmed whether the aircraft has been written off.

News

Arrests made outside Scotland Yard as Met enforces protest crackdown

Published

2 hours ago

March 29, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Sixteen held as police press ahead despite ongoing legal dispute

SIXTEEN protesters have been arrested outside New Scotland Yard in London after holding placards expressing support for Palestine Action, as the Metropolitan Police Service continues to enforce controversial powers under terrorism legislation.

The demonstrators, described by campaign group Defend Our Juries as peaceful, were sitting outside the Met’s headquarters holding signs reading: “I oppose genocide – I support Palestine Action.”

The arrests come just days after the force confirmed it would resume enforcement action, reversing an earlier position taken following a February ruling by the High Court which found the proscription of Palestine Action to be unlawful.

Policy reversal

In the wake of that ruling, the Met had stated it would pause arrests and instead “focus on gathering evidence,” describing that approach as “the most proportionate” while awaiting further legal clarity.

However, earlier this week the force confirmed it would resume arrests under the Terrorism Act 2000, citing the need to provide clear guidance to officers and enforce the law as it currently stands.

The Government has since been granted permission to appeal the High Court decision, with the case due to be heard at the Court of Appeal later this month.

Welsh protesters involved

There is also a clear Welsh dimension to the protests, with campaigners from Pembrokeshire and across Wales regularly travelling to London to take part in demonstrations linked to Palestine Action.

The Herald understands that Welsh protesters have already been arrested at previous events prior to the High Court ruling, raising concerns locally about the use of terrorism legislation against those attending peaceful protests.

The latest arrests are therefore likely to resonate in west Wales, where opposition to the policing approach has been growing among activists and community groups.

Legal and political criticism

The move has drawn criticism from campaigners and legal figures. Law firm Hodge Jones & Allen has argued that such arrests may be unlawful, given the High Court’s findings.

Critics say the situation has created a legal grey area, with police continuing to enforce legislation that has already been ruled unlawful but remains in effect pending appeal.

Labour MP Diane Abbott previously described the use of terrorism powers in such cases as “an abuse of power to silence opinions [the police] want to suppress.”

Protesters speak out

Among those taking part was Árainn Hawker, 54, from Somerset, who said: “The courts have ruled that this proscription is illegal… yet people are still being arrested under it. That is an affront to justice.”

Another protester, who gave their name as Ams, said they believed the arrests were intended to deter further demonstrations, adding: “I refuse to be intimidated and I refuse to comply with this authoritarian overreach.”

Further protests planned

Defend Our Juries has announced plans for a further mass protest in Trafalgar Square on April 11, as part of its ongoing “Lift the Ban” campaign.

Despite the backlash, the Metropolitan Police Service has indicated it will continue enforcing the law pending the outcome of the appeal, meaning further arrests are likely in the coming weeks.

Crime

Gunshot fired by police during incident in Milford Haven

Published

3 hours ago

March 29, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A POLICE officer discharged a firearm during an incident in Milford Haven on Saturday evening (March 28), prompting an investigation and referral to the police watchdog.

Dyfed-Powys Police were called to reports of disorder at Bunkers Hill at around 5:45pm, where an individual was believed to be in possession of a knife. Armed officers were deployed to the scene.

During the incident, at 6:32pm, a single shot was fired by an officer. Police have confirmed that the firearm was not directed at any person and that no injuries were reported.

The circumstances leading up to the discharge of the firearm have not yet been confirmed.

When Herald reporters attended Bunkers Hill after 2:00pm on Sunday (March 29), a significant police presence remained in the area. Several police vehicles were at the scene, with officers seen going in and out and carrying out checks around the rear of a large block of flats as enquiries continued.

The force has voluntarily referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, which will determine whether the matter should be investigated independently or referred back to the force.

Deputy Chief Constable Gary Phillips said: “We have initiated a prompt investigation into the circumstances that led to the firearms being discharged, and have referred the incident to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

“We will work with them as we continue to establish the circumstances leading up to the discharge.”

A police presence remains at Bunkers Hill as enquiries continue.