Community

Just days left to have say on Withybush hospital services

Published

5 months ago

August 28, 2025

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

THERE’S just three days left to respond to a public consultation which could see some west Wales hospitals losing services, including an option for Withybush patients needing specialist critical care being transferred to Glangwili.

Another option, in Ceredigion, includes the loss of Bronglais’s stroke service, becoming a ‘treat and transfer’ hospital, with patients transferred to other hospitals in the board area, including Withybush for their inpatient stroke care.

Hywel Dda University Health Board’s Clinical Services Plan focuses on nine healthcare services that are “fragile and in need of change,” it has said.

The services, and potential changes at the four main hospitals of Haverfordwest’s Withybush, Carmarthen’s Glangwili, Llanelli’s Prince Philip and Aberystwyth’s Bronglais, included are critical care, emergency general surgery, stroke, endoscopy, radiology, dermatology, ophthalmology, orthopaedics, and urology.

There are no changes to how people access emergency care (A&E) or minor injury care as part of the consultation, with an ongoing separate consultation on minor injury care at Prince Philip.

These nine clinical services were selected because of risks to them being able to continue to offer safe, high-quality services, or care in a timely manner, the board has previously said.

At the May meeting of the board, members agreed to back the launching of a public consultation, running to August 31, into the proposed changes, with many different options in each of the nine services across the area, with some hospitals gaining or losing services, along with community site options in some cases.

In the case of critical care, there are three options.

Intensive care units kept at Bronglais and Glangwili. An enhanced care unit would be provided at Withybush and Prince Philip. Another enhanced care unit would also be developed at Glangwili, so the intensive care unit at Glangwili can focus on the sickest patients.

Patients at Prince Philip or Withybush needing specialist critical care would be transferred to Glangwili.

Intensive care units would be kept at Bronglais, Glangwili and Withybush. Prince Philip would have an enhanced care unit. Patients needing specialist critical care would be stabilised at Prince Philip and transferred to Glangwili intensive care unit.
Intensive care units kept at all sites.

In the case of emergency general surgery, there are two options.

Currently, full emergency general surgery services, including surgical operations, for adults are provided at Glangwili, Bronglais and Withybush. Patients from Prince Philip are taken to Glangwili.

Emergency general surgery consultant surgeons would be based at Bronglais and Glangwili, providing full emergency general surgery services including surgical operations. Patients at Withybush needing surgery would be transported to Glangwili for their operation, before returning to Withybush when fit to do so to recover.
Emergency general surgery consultant surgeons would be based at Bronglais, and at either Glangwili or Withybush on alternate weeks to provide surgical operations.

There is an additional need with this option for surgical cover to remain at Glangwili for children and young people (paediatrics) on weeks when the service is operating in Withybush.

There are two options proposed for stroke services, currently operated at all four main hospitals, including Prince Philip and Withybush having stroke units, with specialist cover 12-hours a day, meaning stroke patients from ‘treat and transfer’ hospitals at Bronglais and Glangwili would be transferred to Prince Philip or Withybush for their inpatient stroke care.

For endoscopy, operating from from Bronglais, Glangwili, Prince Philip and Withybush, there are three options, including Bronglais no longer offering urology, as it does now, and Glangwili no longer offering respiratory and urology.

For radiology, there are four options.

Planned diagnostic radiology and planned day case interventional radiology (both Monday-Friday, daytime) is provided from Bronglais, Prince Philip and Withybush.

One option includes planned diagnostic radiology provided from a new and dedicated diagnostic hub (site to be confirmed), in a community setting, which is not part of the other options.

This new hub and the extended working hours for planned diagnostic radiology would mean Prince Philip and Withybush could provide a dedicated cancer focus.

For dermatology, there are four options.

Since the Covid-19 pandemic, dermatology services including outpatient appointments and minor operations have mainly been provided at Prince Philip.

For ophthalmology, there are three options, including a community setting (site not yet confirmed) in Pembrokeshire.

For orthopaedics, there are four options; and for urology, currently provided at all four main hospital sites, there is one option, to bring overnight patients (inpatients) together at Prince Philip Hospital. Outpatients, day cases and other diagnostics would remain at Bronglais and Withybush. Glangwili would only look after emergency cases that come through the emergency department.

At the May meeting, Medical Director Mr Mark Henwood said: “No decisions have been made on the options presented, and there are currently no preferred solutions. The changes we are looking to make are to ensure we have safe, high-quality services and affordable healthcare in the future, and have at their heart the best interests of the people of west Wales and their patient experience.”

“We ask that you review the consultation documents and share your views on which options you believe are best able to address service fragilities, improve standards, or reduce waiting times.”

“We want to listen to your concerns or potential impacts you think options may have and your views on the future role of our hospitals. We also welcome any alternative options or ideas you may have.”

Following consultation, the proposals will be further discussed at a future health board meeting, expect to be November of this year.

Community

Generous support agreed for Milford Haven Library

Published

6 hours ago

January 29, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A FUNDING package worth £18,700 has been agreed to help secure the long-term financial sustainability of Milford Haven Library.

At a meeting on Monday (Jan 12), Milford Haven Town Council approved funding to support the library over the next three years.

The decision follows a year of partnership working between Pembrokeshire County Council, the Port of Milford Haven and the Town Council, as the organisations sought solutions to ongoing funding pressures.

A public consultation held in 2025 highlighted the importance of the library as a valued community asset, not only for book lending but also as a hub for groups, wellbeing checks and warm spaces.

Discussions resulted in a contribution of £10,000 from the Port of Milford Haven and £3,000 from the Town Council to ensure the library could continue operating during the 2025/26 financial year. The latest agreement extends that support, providing funding for the next three years alongside continued substantial backing from the Port over the lifetime of the council’s lease.

Councillor Rhys Sinnett, Pembrokeshire County Council’s cabinet member for residents’ services, said: “This is excellent news for the town as it allows us at Pembrokeshire County Council to continue providing a much-valued service at current levels.
“We are incredibly grateful for the support of Milford Haven Town Council and the Port of Milford Haven, as through partnership working we are able to maintain this important community resource.”

Councillor William Elliott, Mayor of Milford Haven, said the agreement reflected the value placed on the library by the community. He said: “We are delighted to have reached a consensus to support the library over the next three years.
“We value the importance of the library not just for the loaning of books, but also for its wider role supporting groups, wellbeing checks, warm spaces and more.
“Over the past 12 months we have continued to work closely with the library team, the County Council and the Port of Milford Haven to explore all available options, and we remain committed to this partnership going forward.”

Tom Sawyer, chief executive of the Port of Milford Haven, added: “Libraries are cornerstones of our communities — places where people connect, learn and feel supported.
“We’re proud to have helped ensure this vital resource remains accessible to everyone who depends on it.”

Milford Haven Library is based at Cedar Court. Further information about the library and its facilities is available via Pembrokeshire County Council’s libraries service.

Community

Specialist team searches River Teifi in ongoing hunt for missing man

Published

9 hours ago

January 29, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A SPECIALIST search team has carried out a renewed and highly technical search of the River Teifi in Cardigan as efforts continue to find a man who was last seen entering the water earlier this month.

The operation was undertaken on Wednesday (Jan 28) by Specialist Group International (SGI), following a request from the family of Kurtis Brook.

Kurtis was witnessed entering the River Teifi on Saturday (Jan 4). Despite extensive searches involving multiple agencies and voluntary rescue organisations since then, he has not been located.

SGI confirmed that a seven-person specialist team conducted a coordinated search along the river, working downstream to the mouth of the Teifi estuary. The operation involved the deployment of high-frequency side-scan sonar, equipment capable of detecting objects beneath the water’s surface even in low-visibility conditions.

However, the team said conditions on the river remain exceptionally challenging. Recent storms, prolonged high river levels, floodwater and tidal influence have significantly altered the river environment since the initial incident.

In a statement, SGI said the search area contained “significant debris, obstructions and strainers,” describing flood and tidal river searches as among the most complex and hazardous situations faced by rescue specialists.

The Herald understands that the River Teifi has experienced repeated high-flow events in recent weeks, complicating earlier search efforts and increasing risks for those operating on the water.

SGI added that while no breakthrough was made during the latest operation, their thoughts remain firmly with Kurtis’s family and loved ones, and they acknowledged the continued dedication shown by his friends and relatives throughout the search.

Emergency services and specialist teams have been involved in repeated searches since the incident, with the operation scaling back and resuming at various points as conditions allowed.

Anyone with information relevant to the disappearance is urged to contact Dyfed-Powys Police.

Business

Councillor condemns closure of Haverfordwest Santander branch

Published

11 hours ago

January 29, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A PEMBROKESHIRE councillor has spoken out after learning that the Santander branch in Haverfordwest is set to close later this year, warning the decision will have a serious impact on local residents, families and businesses.

The bank’s Bridge Street branch is due to close on Monday (May 5) as part of a wider UK restructuring programme.

Councillor Thomas Baden Tudor said he was “lost for words” and urged the bank to reconsider, describing the closure as devastating for customers who rely on face-to-face services.

Santander says the decision is driven by declining footfall, with more customers banking online, and that services will remain available via digital platforms and Post Office counters.

However, the announcement follows a steady erosion of high-street banking in Pembrokeshire. The Herald recently reported that Haverfordwest’s former Halifax branch is set to reopen as a nail salon.

In what appears to be a serious failure of planning, there is now not a single bank branch left anywhere in south Pembrokeshire. Towns including Tenby, Pembroke and Pembroke Dock are all without face-to-face banking facilities.

North Pembrokeshire has also been affected, with Fishguard and St Davids now lacking bank branches.

Pembrokeshire is understood to be left with just four bank branches in total — Nationwide in Milford Haven, and HSBC, NatWest and Lloyds Bank in Haverfordwest.