News

Future for 24 hour A&E,but how good will it be?

Published

11 years ago

December 18, 2014

Tom Sinclair

Dr Robertson-Steele: “24 hour services are no longer sustainable”

Tough questions at press conference

ON TUESDAY morning (Dec 2), at an emergency press briefing held at Withybush, Health Board executive members and Chair Bernadine Rees faced the press in attempt to play down the situation. Reporters were told that negative publicity in local newspapers, and blogging by pressure groups such as SWAT are to blame for the staffing shortages in Withybush hospital, Ms Rees claimed at the hastily arranged press conference.

Bernadine Rees called for everyone to work together to ensure that Pembrokeshire was a place medical specialists would like to come and work Speaking to The Herald on Tuesday Mr Rees referred to the adverse coverage the Board has had over Withybush Hospital: “Those who show an interest in working in Pembrokeshire, then go on to websites and with the plethora of jobs that are available they decide that perhaps Pembrokeshire is not the best place for them to go. You only have to look at the back pages of the British Medical Journal to see just how many vacancies there are across the UK. I cannot speak for the pressure groups but all I can say to them is to ask them to work with us to portray Pembrokeshire positively. We all want the same thing: to provide a sustainable future for health care in Pembrokeshire.”

The storm over the future of Withybush Hospital was rekindled when an internal document was leaked to the press. Re-assurances given to the media since the leak of the explosive letter have raised as many questions as they have provided answers. In particular, the Health Board appears to be contemplating a service model based around the Out of Hours GP Service while there is NO guarantee that 24/7 A&E services will be available after May 2015. The secret report reveals that since the downgrade in paediatric services overnight there has been increased burden on the out of hours service and that too is branded as ‘short staffed and at risk’. The leaked memo says that staffing issues led to the latest crisis in the service, and that a solution needs to be found.

It argues that Withybush should not provide services for patients where further or onward care is required, including those involving palliative care and oncology, to which the Board has made a very public and very recent public commitment, according to the document. Instead Dr Robertson-Steele, the hospital’s Clinical Director recommends: “Limiting provision at WGH to those services at WGH which are fully staffed and skilled.” SWAT chairman Dr Chris Overton told The Herald that the news was the ‘end game’ for Withybush Hospital. He added: “As predicted for many, many years, there will be nothing much will be left at the hospital.” The hospital action group has previously raised concerns that the knock on effect of services removal will result in changes having to be made at Withybush A&E.

LOCAL POLITICIANS REACT

Stephen Crabb MP told The Herald: “This leaked document appears to confirm our worst fears about what the Board and Mark Drakeford have got planned for Withybush. A dark cloud is hanging over the future of our hospital. The removal of a 24 hour A&E service from Withybush is just unacceptable. The Welsh Health Minister should stop hiding away in Cardiff and come down to Pembrokeshire to either denounce these reckless plans or explain why he thinks they make our community safer. People in Pembrokeshire deserve more than behind-the-scenes plotting. Today the UK Government is giving Welsh Ministers an extra £70 million as a result of the increase in English NHS spending. I have asked that the Welsh Government confirm that it will use this money solely for Welsh health services. After all the recent cuts to services, Pembrokeshire should be first in the queue for this spending.”

Plaid Cymru Mid & West Assembly Member Simon Thomas said: “The people of Pembrokeshire deserve better A&E services. This development about emergency services at Withybush Hospital is very concerning indeed. Welsh Ministers rejected my concerns that losing 24/7 paediatrics would undermine the long term viability of A&E.” South Pembrokeshire MP Simon Hart told The Herald: “The Health Board has struggled with these staffing issues for years and has yet to solve the problem. If they are going to use “staff shortages” as an excuse to close any department where they can’t recruit then this will become self-fulfilling. We already know that one reason for the GP shortages in the county is the uncertainty over the future of the hospital. Mark Drakeford and the Welsh Government in Cardiff needs to get a grip of t h i s situation and bring this uncertainty to an end.” Paul Davies AM told The Herald: “I’m appalled that A and E services at Withybush hospital could be at risk. Once again the people of Pembrokeshire are being treated like second class citizens and it’s quite clear that there is a drive to centralise services away from this area. I will be urging the Health Minister to come forward with a statement as a matter of urgency.”

William Powell, the Welsh Liberal Democrat AM for Mid and West Wales, added: “Having supported local campaigners in their efforts to protect these services since 2006, this is obviously a huge disappointment. Removing specialist services and a full A&E from Withybush will leave it as nothing more than a glorified cottage hospital, with no equivalent services for miles around. The people of Pembrokeshire deserve better.” Cllr Paul Miller, leader of the Labour Group on Pembrokeshire County Council told us: “Given the long history, I totally understand people’s concerns about this assurance and I’m going to keep working tirelessly to ensure pressure is kept up on this commitment. Acknowledging problems with communications and recruitment is one thing but now is the time to do something about it. I will not just sit on the side-lines and comment, I’m going to get stuck in and do whatever it takes. That said, if this commitment is not kept, then the Health Board should know that I will consider it my duty to do anything and everything in my power to force them to maintain this provision for the people I represent.”

THE BOARD’S RESPONSE

The Health Board moved quickly in an attempt to quash rumours that it plans to further downgrade Withybush Hospital, but its initial response appeared to downplay the significance of the explosive memo’s origin. An initial press release sent out on Monday, December 1 said: “The document referred to is the viewpoint of a single consultant at one point in time and represents no decision by the University Health Board. Changes to paediatric services at the hospital have not resulted in this position, which is a reflection of the ongoing recruitment challenges discussed.”

However, Dr Robertson-Steele is both the Associate Medical Director for Quality and Safety for the Board AND Director of Clinical Care for Withybush Hospital. After Tuesday’s emergency press conference, the Board released a further and longer press statement which recapped its previous release and revealed that a meeting on the day of the leak had determined a plan to move forward. Medical Director Dr Sue Fish said: “Issues around recruitment, particularly into A&E posts, have been widely reported and continue to be a challenge faced by NHS organisations across the UK. At this meeting, alternative solutions for delivering a full, sustainable 24/7 service in the future have been identified to maintain this service in the weeks to come and to give us time to build in long term solutions. We would like to assure local people that we are fully committed to maintaining safe, high quality services at Withybush General Hospital.

As part of this planning process, University Health Board set up a Programme Board on October 1 which has been meeting on a regular basis to address these challenges in a planned way. They have been considering various contributions from a number of senior clinicians culminating in the -wide meeting. These contributions do not represent any decision taken by the University Health Board. We would like to assure people that this Programme Board, in partnership with our staff, will continue to plan the sustained future of this important service. Once these solutions have been agreed at Programme Board, we will be in a position to share this information more widely.” Dr Iain Robertson Steel added: “I would like to make it clear that this was a private and confidential paper that presents only one contribution from amongst a number being discussed and I am deeply distressed that this has been put into the public domain in this way.”

PRESSURE TO DELIVER

The Board’s recruitment problems is part of a wider issue within the UK NHS. There is significant national shortage of qualified clinicians. In April of this year it was revealed that the NHS in England was actively recruiting overseas doctors to fill vacancies, including interviewing some prospective candidates via Skype. The Board have fought shy of giving an absolute unequivocal commitment to keeping A&E open 24/7 in the long term.

While it has long-trailed plans to reconfigure A&E services, the Board has not reached agreement with local GP practices to provide the service model it wishes to impose. May 2015 is not that far away and the Board will be under pressure to reach an acceptable long term solution which honours the commitment to retain a 24/7 service. One point raised in the leaked document appears to challenge the viability of the proposed scheme in any event. Dr Robertson-Steele, who should be well placed to know, states that the current Out of Hours GP Service one of those identified as suffering from staffing problems. It is difficult to see how the already stretched GP service will be able to cover up the cracks in the Board’s service provision at Withybush Hospital.

Joyce questions strategy

AT Assembly Question Time on Wednesday (Dec 3), Joyce Watson AM questioned deputy health minister, Vaughan Gething AM, about Withybush hospital A&E.

Joyce Watson AM said:“First of all, I would like to thank Mark Drakeford for meeting with me yesterday at extremely short notice to discuss the situation at Withybush hospital. I, like everyone in Pembrokeshire, was hugely relieved by Hywel Dda Local Health Board’s categorical rebuttal of the claims that Withybush’s A&E department could be anything less than a 24/7 service. “You will know better than most, Deputy Minister, that the root cause of many of the pressures and pinch points in the service is recruitment.

Every time a leaked document creates a furore like this, Withybush, I suspect, becomes a less attractive prospect for an ambitious, newly qualified consultant, and it becomes a vicious circle. “Will you work to ensure that the health pressure groups work more closely with the health board to promote clear lines of communication? What can the Welsh Government do to further support recruitment in the west Wales NHS?” Vaughan Gething, Deputy Minister for Health:“I thank the Member for the question. I want to recognise at the outset and welcome the response of the clinical community across Hywel Dda to ensure that there is a future for 24-hour emergency-admission coverage. They have provided a solution for the next six months to allow them the space and time to deliver a longer term sustainable service. It is important to have that reassurance for the public.”

Crime

Rogue roofing traders had millions pass through accounts, court told

Published

3 hours ago

December 13, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Sentencing delayed as judge considers scale of long-running Pembrokeshire scam

A PAIR of rogue Pembrokeshire traders had more than £2.7 million pass through their bank accounts while operating what a judge described as a sophisticated fraudulent roofing business.

Thomas James, aged 38, and Jim Janes, aged 55, appeared at Swansea Crown Court on Friday (Dec 12) in connection with a Narberth-based roofing scam which spanned several years.

The court heard that over a five-year period the men ran a business which prosecutors said was fundamentally dishonest, with more than £500,000 believed to have been taken from customers through fraudulent work.

In remarks made during the hearing, the judge said the case went beyond dishonest trading, describing the defendants as builders who were not only dishonest but also incapable of carrying out the work they claimed to offer.

Expert evidence presented to the court showed the pair were unable to deliver the standard of work promised, with no credible evidence of satisfied customers. Large sums of money were seen flowing through their accounts, which the judge said demonstrated unlawful trading rather than legitimate business activity.

“This was not a case of people trying and failing to run an honest business,” the judge said. “It was a sophisticated operation set up to defraud customers.”

It was agreed that more than £500,000 had been generated from dishonest elements of the work carried out.

In mitigation, defence counsel said there had been some legitimate trading and that personal circumstances had contributed to a decline in standards. The court was told that not every job undertaken was fraudulent and that both men had accepted responsibility.

However, the judge raised concerns about how best to sentence the defendants given there are two separate indictments relating to the proceeds of the scam. Apologising to victims, the judge said the case could not be concluded on the day.

Sentencing was adjourned to Wednesday (Dec 17) at 2:00pm.

The Pembrokeshire Herald has been following this case for several months. It has been before the courts on several occasions this year.

At an earlier hearing at Swansea Crown Court in August, the court was told that the investigation into James and Janes had identified dozens of alleged victims across Pembrokeshire and west Wales.

Prosecutors said homeowners were persuaded to pay large sums upfront for roofing and construction work which was either left incomplete or carried out to a dangerously poor standard, in some cases leaving properties damaged.

During those proceedings, it was alleged that around forty victims had already been identified, with investigators warning the true number could be significantly higher as enquiries continued.

A separate but linked case could bring the total number of alleged victims to 140, making this the largest case of its type in Wales.

The prosecutions have been led by National Trading Standards Investigations Team (Wales) based at Newport City Council

The court previously heard that the men had handled criminal proceeds running into tens of thousands of pounds and that further victims could yet come forward.

The Herald understands that the scale of the operation, the movement of money through multiple accounts, and the long duration of the offending are all factors being considered ahead of sentencing later this month.

Crime

Rural cannabis factory exposed after five-year operation in Carmarthenshire

Published

4 hours ago

December 13, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Family-run drugs enterprise brought in millions before police raid during lockdown

A FAMILY who relocated from England to a remote Carmarthenshire farm ran a highly organised cannabis production operation worth millions of pounds before it was uncovered by police.

Edward McCann, aged 66, his wife Linda, aged 63, and their son Daniel, aged 41, were jailed after admitting their roles in what prosecutors described as one of the most sophisticated cannabis factories ever uncovered in Wales.

***The court heard that the McCann family made over £3.5m over five years***

The operation was based at Blaenllain Farm, near Whitland, where the family had moved from Portsmouth. Although the property appeared to be an ordinary agricultural holding, locals became suspicious after extensive security fencing, CCTV systems and a lack of any livestock raised questions.

Police eventually raided the site during the Covid lockdown in October 2020, discovering a large-scale drugs factory operating from a converted barn.

Inside, officers found six purpose-built growing rooms containing cannabis plants at different stages of development. Upstairs areas were being used to dry harvested plants, while ovens were used to process cannabis resin and manufacture cannabis-infused products, including chocolate bars.

Investigators later estimated that the operation had generated around £3.5 million over a five-year period.

Two men had also been recruited to help maintain the crop. Justin Liles, aged 22, from St Clears, and Jack Whittock, aged 30, from Narberth, were found working on the site at the time of the raid and were later jailed for their involvement.

***Jack Whittock and Justin Liles were two worked in the cannabis factory***

Edward McCann was arrested at the farmhouse, while Daniel McCann — who owned the property but was living in Hampshire — was later arrested in Portsmouth in February 2021.

During sentencing at Swansea Crown Court, the judge rejected Edward McCann’s earlier claim that the cannabis was largely for personal medical use following a leukaemia diagnosis. The court heard that electricity had been illegally drawn from the National Grid to power high-intensity lighting and ventilation systems required for large-scale cultivation.

Judge Geraint Walters said the operation had been so extensive that it was unlikely to escape notice indefinitely, noting that the unusual security measures and lack of farming activity would have drawn attention in an agricultural area.

The cannabis plants seized during the raid were valued at up to £460,000, with finished products weighing around 80 kilograms and worth as much as £1.5 million.

Edward McCann was sentenced to seven years and seven months in prison, Daniel McCann received eight and a half years, and Linda McCann was jailed for six years and seven months. Liles was sentenced to 22 months, while Whittock received two years and ten months.

At a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing, the court heard that Edward McCann had personally benefited by almost £1.8 million. He was ordered to repay £340,000 within three months or face an additional four years in prison. Daniel McCann was given the same repayment order and penalty.

Linda McCann, said to have profited by £1.45 million, was ordered to repay £335,000 or face a further three years behind bars.

The court was told that failure to pay would not cancel the financial obligations, even if additional prison sentences were served. Further hearings are continuing to determine confiscation orders for the two hired workers.

Crime

Tenby pub encounter led to lockdown rape, court hears

Published

15 hours ago

December 12, 2025

Court Reporter

A London visitor carried out a serious sexual attack during a family holiday in Pembrokeshire

A LONDON man who raped a woman in a Tenby alleyway during the Covid lockdown period has been jailed for eight and a half years.

Nicholas Mitchell, aged 60, had travelled to the seaside town from Bromley with his daughters in May 2021, as pandemic restrictions were beginning to ease. While out drinking, he struck up a conversation with a woman in a local pub.

Later that night, the court heard, Mitchell followed her into a narrow alleyway, where he subjected her to a serious sexual assault before raping her. He then left the area, abandoning the woman in a state of shock and distress.

Police were alerted and an investigation led to Mitchell’s arrest. He denied any wrongdoing, but a jury convicted him in November of two counts of rape and one count of assault by penetration.

During sentencing at Swansea Crown Court, prosecutor Ian Wright read a victim impact statement in which the woman described the profound effect the attack had on her life. She said she became withdrawn and struggled to leave her home, describing feelings of loneliness, numbness and depression. She told the court the incident had left lasting damage and prevented her from moving forward.

Mitchell was represented by defence barrister James Hartson, who said his client continued to protest his innocence but understood the court was bound by the jury’s findings. He said character references portrayed Mitchell as supportive and hard-working, and argued the offending was entirely out of character.

The defence also drew attention to a delay of more than three years between Mitchell’s arrest and formal charging, describing it as deeply unsatisfactory for all involved.

Sentencing, Judge Huw Rees rejected any suggestion the offending was momentary or accidental. He said Mitchell had deliberately targeted the victim and carried out a violent and degrading attack before walking away without concern for her welfare.

Addressing the defendant, the judge said alcohol was no excuse, describing the assault as driven by sexual entitlement and calling Mitchell’s actions wicked.

Mitchell will serve two-thirds of his sentence in custody before being released on licence. He will remain on the sex offenders’ register for life.

The court was told Mitchell has a previous conviction for assaulting a police officer in October 2020, following an incident linked to a domestic dispute with his estranged wife.