News

Elderly care crisis: Councils warned over ‘second class citizen’ treatment

Published

8 months ago

April 18, 2025

Underfunding in Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire fuels hospital chaos, family hardship, and looming care home closures

VULNERABLE older people in West Wales are being forced to pay for their care—or go without it—due to a worsening funding crisis that experts say is placing them at risk and driving up NHS costs.

A growing “postcode lottery” in council funding has created stark inequalities between local authorities, with Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire among the worst hit. Care providers warn that the current situation is not only financially unsustainable but morally indefensible, as elderly people are left stranded in hospitals or charged extra just to receive basic care.

£8,500 less per patient

In Carmarthenshire, research has shown that the local authority pays around £8,500 less per year per person for nursing care than neighbouring Ceredigion. The shortfall is so severe that some care homes have begun charging families extra, or risk closure.

One care home owner, who asked not to be named, told The Herald: “It’s heartbreaking to tell a family: ‘If you can’t pay this, we’ll have to give notice.’ But we can’t make ends meet on Carmarthenshire’s fees. Meanwhile, just over the border in Ceredigion, they pay enough to cover the cost. Why are our residents treated like second class citizens?”

They added that some care homes avoid charging extra and are therefore more likely to receive referrals from the council—but may be located far from a resident’s home town, increasing isolation and hardship for families.

“The system punishes compassion. Homes are closing. And we’re losing places for our most vulnerable citizens.”

Pembrokeshire: NHS under pressure, families stretched

In Pembrokeshire, the situation is no better. While weekly rates are slightly higher than in Carmarthenshire—£908 for nursing care and £986 for EMI—they still fall far short of the actual cost of delivery.

The result? Bed-blocking at Withybush Hospital has reached critical levels.

Elderly patients medically fit for discharge are being kept in hospital, sometimes for weeks, due to a shortage of care home placements.

According to estimates, the cost of keeping an elderly patient in hospital is around £500 per day, compared to less than £200 per day in a care home—making the system not just inefficient but unsustainable.

‘12 months of instability’ ahead

One care group operating six homes in Pembrokeshire says they are facing a £150,000 annual hit due to increased National Insurance contributions and a rise in the Real Living Wage. They’ve warned of “12 months of instability”, with growing pressure on families to pay third-party top-up fees—and a risk that smaller care homes could fold altogether.

Care Forum Wales has estimated the total shortfall across the sector in Wales to be £150 million, describing the situation as an “existential threat” to elderly care.

Council and government response

Pembrokeshire County Council is already grappling with a projected £34.1 million funding gap for 2025–26, with adult social care listed as one of the most significant pressure points. Meanwhile, Carmarthenshire County Council has not issued a public statement on the care home funding disparity, despite repeated concerns from local providers.

The Welsh Government has announced a small uplift in care home fees, from £235.88 to £254.06 per week from April 2025, but providers say it’s nowhere near enough to prevent closures or redundancies.

Some initiatives—such as improved NHS discharge planning and tech-based bed tracking—are being piloted, but sector experts say they will not resolve the crisis without urgent and significant funding increases.

‘Rotten boroughs’ of care?

Mario Kreft MBE, chair of Care Forum Wales, has slammed the disparity between councils as a form of “institutional prejudice” against the private care sector, which provides the majority of services across Wales.

“It’s a race to the bottom, and elderly people are paying the price. In South West Wales, with the exception of Ceredigion, fee levels are appalling. These councils are like rotten boroughs, offering the least to the most vulnerable.”

“Wales was supposed to be built on equality. But you’d never know it when you look at how care is funded.”

He called on councils and government to rethink their approach, warning:

“Those making these decisions should consider their positions. They are causing harm to families and risking the collapse of care in their communities.”

What happens next?

If no action is taken, providers warn, more care homes will close, families will be left without support, and hospitals will continue to suffer.

“Either we fight to save our homes,” the anonymous care home owner told The Herald, “or we walk away. And then what becomes of the residents?”

The Herald has contacted Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire County Councils for comment. This article will be updated if and when responses are received.

Education

School issues safeguarding alert over children’s use of Roblox

Published

2 minutes ago

December 15, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Ysgol Penrhyn Dewi warns parents about addictive gameplay, unsafe chat functions and scammers

YSGOL PENRHYN DEWI in St Davids has issued a safeguarding warning to parents after concerns were raised about children’s use of the popular online gaming platform Roblox.

In a letter sent to families today (Dec 15), Assistant Headteacher Louise Gray said the school had been made aware of a series of risks linked to the platform, which is widely used by children aged 8–13 – and in some cases younger.

Roblox allows users to create and play games developed by other players. However, the school says this user-generated model can expose children to inappropriate or harmful content depending on which games they access.

Range of risks highlighted

The letter sets out several specific safeguarding concerns, including:

Inappropriate content in user-created games
Highly addictive gameplay, with daily quests and reward systems designed to increase screen time
Easily changed parental controls, allowing children to adjust settings without verification
Chat features that expose younger players to inappropriate messages
Peer pressure from in-game ‘connections’, with children believing they know other users
Emotional dysregulation linked to heavy use of the platform
Scams, including fake offers of free Robux or cosmetic items

Parents are being urged to closely monitor how their children use the platform, who they interact with, and what content they can access.

Guidance available

The school has directed families to the Welsh Government’s Hwb website for further advice on parental controls and safe use of Roblox.

Community

Festive creativity shines as Kurtz MS meets card competition winner

Published

52 minutes ago

December 15, 2025

Tom Sinclair

SAMUEL KURTZ, Member of the Senedd for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, visited Pembroke Dock Community School on Friday 12th December to present a prize to the winner of this year’s Christmas Card Competition.

The competition invited pupils to design a festive Christmas card, with entries received from schools across the area. The standard of artwork was exceptionally high, showcasing the creativity, imagination and talent of young people in the community.

During the visit, Samuel Kurtz congratulated the winning pupil and thanked all those who took part, as well as the teachers and staff who supported the competition. Each child who entered also received a certificate in recognition of their hard work and effort.

Speaking after the presentation, Samuel said, “It was a real pleasure to visit Pembroke Dock Community School today and announce the winner of my Christmas Card competition. This year the winner is Mair Moseley, aged 10, and she designed a wonderful Santa image that really stood out. She has won a chocolate selection set and a £20 book token to enjoy over Christmas.”

He added, “ The creativity and enthusiasm shown by all the children was fantastic, and it made choosing a winner extremely difficult. I want to congratulate all the entrants and thank the staff for their ongoing support.”

Pembroke Dock Community School Headteacher, Mrs Katie Crockford-Morris, added, “We were delighted to welcome Samuel Kurtz MS to the school to present the prize. The children thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the competition, and they were incredibly proud to receive their certificates.”

The winning design will now be used as Samuel Kurtz’s official Christmas card this year, with one copy already on its way to His Majesty, King Charles.

Charity

Two Welsh families fund Childline across the UK on Christmas Day

Published

1 hour ago

December 15, 2025

Staff Writer

Joint £40,000 gift ensures vital support is available when children need it most

TWO Cardiff families have joined forces to fund the NSPCC’s Childline service across the whole of the UK on Christmas Day, ensuring children have somewhere to turn during one of the toughest times of the year.

The Peterson family and the Bowles family are each donating £20,000 as part of the charity’s One Unforgettable Day project. Their combined £40,000 contribution will cover the entire cost of running Childline for 24 hours on 25 December.

Childline operates 12 bases nationwide and offers a free, confidential service to anyone under 19, available day and night, 365 days a year. The festive period is often one of the most demanding for counsellors and volunteers; between 24 December 2024 and 4 January 2025, Childline delivered 4,261 counselling sessions.

Young people reach out to Childline for a range of reasons at Christmas, including mental health struggles, family tensions, financial worries, loneliness, and increased risks of abuse or domestic violence. With schools closed and regular support networks unavailable, demand for help typically rises.

Childline relies heavily on donations, fundraising and charitable partnerships. The support of Alan, Maggie and Hywel Peterson, and Nathan and Claire Bowles and their four children, will ensure counsellors are available throughout Christmas Day for any young person who needs them.

Hywel Peterson MBE, Chair of the NSPCC Cymru Fundraising Board, said:
“It’s an honour to help fund Childline across the whole of the UK this Christmas. This joint donation will ensure our dedicated staff and volunteers are there to support any child who needs us.”

Cardiff entrepreneur Nathan Bowles added:
“We know that Christmas can be a difficult time for some children, so our family is delighted to be joining forces with the Petersons this year to support this vital service.”

Louise Israel, Childline team manager at NSPCC Cymru’s Cardiff base, said:
“While children and young people need Childline all year round, we speak to many who find this time of year particularly difficult. It is only with the support of such generous people as the Peterson and Bowles families that our staff and volunteers can continue to be here throughout the Christmas holidays. This kindness will genuinely make a difference.”

Children can call Childline free on 0800 11 11 or visit www.childline.org.uk.
Anyone concerned about a child’s welfare can contact the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000 or visit www.nspcc.org.uk for advice.