News

Do more to recruit doctors, says Plaid

Published

11 years ago

January 4, 2015

PLAID CYMRU has accused the Welsh Government of exacerbating the country’s doctor shortage after figures showed they slashed their recruitment budget.

A Freedom of Information application by Plaid Cymru has found that the Welsh Government spent just over £1,000 on recruiting doctors in the same calendar year they were planning the centralisation of key hospital services due to a shortage of doctors.

The FOI showed the Welsh Government spent just £1,115 during the 2013/14 financial year on doctor recruitment – which was a staggering 40 times less than the previous calendar year’s amount of £45,326.

The FOI also revealed that the Welsh Government only undertook one initiative to recruit doctors in a period covering more than three years up to September of this year.

Previous FOI results to local health boards have showed that few efforts to recruit from abroad have been made.

Elin Jones AM, Plaid Cymru Shadow Health Minister, said the Welsh Government was blaming a doctor shortage for the NHS’s ills when there was little or no evidence of it acting to alleviate the problem.

The AM for Ceredigion, a constituency which has been subject to controversial centralisation plans, told The Herald: “The Welsh Government is sitting on its hands and refusing to take workforce planning seriously. These figures show they are content to throw in the towel when faced with the challenge of providing services to areas of Wales where it is difficult to recruit.

“Up to 40% of GPs in the south Wales valleys are approaching retirement and parts of rural Wales are already seeing full or partial closures of surgeries due to a GP shortage.

“This can’t-do approach is not good enough if the Labour Welsh Government is to ensure a sustainable NHS for all of Wales. They need to be much more proactive in providing the levels of staff needed to deliver essential services.

“The SNP Government has shown what can be achieved when you have an ambitious and forward-thinking administration because they have almost 50% more GPs relative to population than we have in Wales.

“The figures also pose serious question marks about the case for centralisation. This was sold on the basis that it was necessary due to a doctor shortage.

“Is that shortage really a surprise when little is being done to tackle the recruitment crisis?

“People will be asking whether the Welsh Government’s case was flawed from the very beginning in light of these figures.”

News

Pembroke Dock man sent to Crown Court over alleged ABH assault

Published

12 hours ago

December 15, 2025

Court Reporter

Charge relates to incident in the town last weekend

A PEMBROKE DOCK man has been sent to the Crown Court for trial after appearing before magistrates accused of assault causing actual bodily harm.

Darren Markes, aged 47, of High Street, Pembroke Dock, appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Dec 15).

The court heard that Markes is charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm, contrary to the Offences Against the Person Act.

The charge relates to an alleged incident on Friday (Dec 13) in Pembroke Dock, when it is alleged that Markes assaulted a woman, causing her actual bodily harm.

No plea was entered at the hearing.

Due to the seriousness of the allegation, magistrates declined jurisdiction and ordered that the case be sent to the Crown Court for trial under the Crime and Disorder Act.

Markes was remanded on conditional bail. Conditions include:

Not contacting a witness, directly or indirectly
Reporting to Pembroke Dock police station every Wednesday between 12:00pm and 2:00pm
Living and sleeping each night at his home address

He is due to appear at Swansea Crown Court on Thursday (Jan 16) at 9:30am for a plea and trial preparation hearing.

Crime

Aberystwyth man denies criminal damage charge over Cardigan gallery window

Published

12 hours ago

December 15, 2025

Court Reporter

Alleged incident said to have taken place on Bridge Street

AN ABERYSTWYTH man has denied a charge of criminal damage relating to an alleged incident in Cardigan.

Ricky Myers, aged 27, of Jasper House, Aberystwyth, appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Dec 15).

The court heard that Myers is accused of criminal damage to property valued under £5,000, contrary to the Criminal Damage Act 1971.

The charge relates to an incident on Saturday (Aug 24, 2024) at Manchester House on Bridge Street, Cardigan, where it is alleged that a window at the Cardigan Gallery was damaged. The property is said to belong to Peter Austin.

Myers pleaded not guilty to the allegation.

Magistrates adjourned the case for further case management, and Myers was remanded on conditional bail, with a condition that he live and sleep each night at his home address.

He is due to return to court at Aberystwyth Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (Dec 17) at 2:00pm.

Crime

Pembroke Dock man remanded in custody ahead of sentencing on string of offences

Published

12 hours ago

December 15, 2025

Court Reporter

Harassment charge and three assaults among cases listed for Llanelli court

A PEMBROKE DOCK man has been remanded in custody ahead of sentencing after admitting a series of offences, including harassment and assaults.

Tony Brundrett, aged 21, of Kavanagh Court, Pembroke Dock, appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Dec 15).

The court heard Brundrett has pleaded guilty to harassment without violence, contrary to the Protection from Harassment Act. The charge alleges that between Tuesday (Sep 17) and Thursday (Oct 31) at Spring View, Pembroke Dock, he pursued a course of conduct amounting to harassment of a female, including attending her home address and contacting her by text message.

He has also admitted assault by beating against the same female, alleged to have taken place on Wednesday (May 21) at Spring View, Pembroke Dock, and a further assault by beating against a second female on Thursday (Oct 30), also at Spring View.

Magistrates were additionally told that Brundrett faces a further allegation of common assault against a third female, said to have occurred on Tuesday (Dec 9) at Kavanagh Court, Pembroke Dock. No plea was recorded to that matter in the register entry.

Brundrett has also pleaded guilty to a number of offences linked to an incident in Haverfordwest on Saturday (Nov 16). These include:

Aggravated vehicle taking, involving a Vauxhall Corsa, with damage caused before recovery
Using a motor vehicle without insurance
Driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence
Criminal damage, involving a window belonging to Pembrokeshire County Council

He was remanded in custody, with the next hearing listed at Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (Dec 31) at 10:00am.