SOUTH PEMBROKESHIRE MS Samuel Kurtz has warned that patients in Pembroke and Pembroke Dock are being left behind amid what he calls a “growing GP crisis” in the area.

During Health Questions in the Senedd, Mr Kurtz raised concerns about Argyle Medical Group in Pembroke Dock, now the second-largest GP practice in Wales, caring for more than 22,500 patients with just nine GPs — an average of around 2,500 patients per doctor.

By comparison, Sketty and Killay Medical Centre in Swansea has 18 GPs for just under 22,000 patients — almost double the workforce for the same population.

Mr Kurtz said patients were facing long waits for appointments and staff were under “unsustainable pressure”. He accused the Welsh Government of failing to plan properly for the healthcare needs of rural and coastal communities, calling for urgent action to boost GP recruitment and retention, fair funding for rural practices, and timely access to care.

Speaking after the exchange, he said: “Patients in Pembrokeshire deserve the same access to GP care as those in other parts of Wales, yet they’re being left behind.

“Doctors and staff at Argyle Medical Group are doing their very best under immense strain, but they simply don’t have the numbers to meet demand. This is a workforce crisis that needs immediate attention.

“The Welsh Government must recognise the unique challenges faced by rural healthcare providers and act now to ensure communities in west Wales aren’t forgotten.”

Mr Kurtz added that he had requested an urgent meeting with the Health Minister, Argyle Medical Group and Hywel Dda University Health Board to address what he described as “the number one issue of concern” raised by his constituents.

Earlier this year, The Herald reported that GP shortages in Wales had left patients per doctor at nearly double the European average, with Argyle Medical Group specifically cited as one of the most overstretched practices in the country.
At that time, the practice was treating around 25,000 patients with nine GPs, highlighting long-standing recruitment difficulties in the county.

Hywel Dda University Health Board has previously said that it continues to work closely with local practices to improve capacity and maintain patient access to services, including through cluster working and recruitment incentives for hard-to-staff rural areas.

A SERVICE of Remembrance was held at Withybush General Hospital Chapel on Wednesday (Nov 5), bringing together hospital staff, patients, veterans and civic representatives to honour those who gave their lives in conflict.

Community gathers in reflection

The service was organised with support from the Royal British Legion Haverfordwest branch and attended by members of Haverfordwest Town Council, hospital staff and volunteers. Among those present was Pembrokeshire County Councillor Thomas Baden Tudor, who said it was “an honour to attend the Withybush General Hospital Service of Remembrance.”

Wreaths and words of remembrance

Wreaths were laid and prayers offered in memory of servicemen and women from Pembrokeshire and beyond. The short ceremony provided a moment of stillness and gratitude within the busy hospital environment, allowing staff and patients alike to pay their respects.

Those attending included David Hawkings, Martin Spain, Geoffrey Eynon, Danielle Thomas-Turner, Councillor Dani Thomas-Turner, Councillor Randell Izaiah Thomas-Turner, Lisa Marshall, Tamitha Grey and Councillor Michele Wiggins.

The hospital chapel’s annual service forms part of a series of Remembrance events taking place across Pembrokeshire in the days leading up to Armistice Day.

Over 10,000 call on Welsh Government to act as doctors warn of unsafe and undignified treatment in hospital corridors

MORE than ten thousand people across Wales have signed a petition demanding urgent action to end the growing practice of “corridor care” in NHS hospitals — including reports from Withybush Hospital where patients have been left waiting for treatment in chairs, trolleys and corridors due to lack of beds.

The petition, supported by both the British Medical Association (BMA) Cymru Wales and the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Wales, was launched after hundreds of nurses and doctors came forward describing unsafe and undignified conditions. It has now been presented to the Welsh Government, and the issue is expected to be debated in the Senedd later this month.

‘Patients waiting on chairs for days’

Health staff say the problem, once confined to emergency departments, is now widespread across Welsh hospitals, including those serving Pembrokeshire.

One senior nurse told The Herald: “We’ve had elderly patients waiting on chairs in A&E for two or three days at a time. They can’t lie down, they can’t rest, and there’s no privacy. It’s awful for them and heartbreaking for staff.”

Doctors and nurses who contributed to the petition described distressing conditions:
“I have seen patients where diagnoses have been missed due to inadequate places to examine them,” said one doctor. Another added: “I routinely see patients on the back of an ambulance, patients whose treatments are delayed because there are no beds or cardiac monitoring spaces.”

Frontline frustration

Dr Manish Adke, chair of the BMA’s Welsh Consultants Committee, said:
“This overwhelming response sends an unequivocal message: the Welsh public, healthcare professionals and patients are united in their concern about the ongoing crisis of patients being treated in hospital corridors.

“This practice exposes vulnerable individuals to a lack of privacy, dignity and essential care, while staff struggle to deliver safe treatment without adequate equipment or support.”

RCN Wales National Director Helen Whyley said the petition’s closure “marks not the end, but the beginning of renewed efforts to restore dignity, safety and high-quality care to all patients in Wales.”

Four key demands

The petition calls for the Welsh Government to:

• Record and publish all instances of corridor care to ensure transparency and accountability.
• Pause any further reductions in hospital beds until safe alternatives are in place.
• Invest in community-based services so patients can be treated closer to home.
• Focus on prevention and early intervention to reduce hospital admissions.

Local impact

At Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest, staff say corridor care has become a regular feature of winter pressures — but now extends well beyond seasonal peaks.

Sources within Hywel Dda University Health Board told The Herald that emergency departments are frequently running at or above 100 per cent capacity, forcing staff to accommodate patients in waiting areas and temporary bays.

One healthcare assistant said: “It’s not uncommon for patients to be treated in corridors for entire shifts. Staff do their best, but it’s not safe. There’s no privacy, and we can’t always monitor patients properly.”

According to the latest NHS Wales performance data, more than 8,000 people waited over 12 hours in emergency departments across the country in September, including hundreds within the Hywel Dda region.

Government and health board response

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “We recognise the pressures facing our health service and the immense effort being made by NHS staff. We are investing in measures to increase patient flow, expand same-day emergency care and improve discharge pathways so patients can leave hospital safely when ready.”

A Hywel Dda University Health Board spokesperson added: “Demand for urgent and emergency care remains exceptionally high across the region. Staff at Withybush Hospital and our other sites work tirelessly to maintain patient safety and dignity, and we continue to prioritise actions that reduce overcrowding, including community care initiatives and faster discharge processes.”

Political reaction

Welsh Conservative Shadow Health Minister Natasha Asghar MS said: “This is a symptom of a health service under immense strain. Corridor care should never become routine, and patients deserve better than to be treated in waiting rooms and corridors.”

Plaid Cymru’s health spokesperson, Mabon ap Gwynfor MS, added that chronic underfunding of social care was worsening hospital gridlock. “We need an integrated plan that tackles bed shortages and social care blockages together,” he said.

Senedd debate expected this month

The petition — signed by 10,533 people — will now be reviewed by the Senedd’s Petitions Committee before being debated later in November.

For frontline NHS workers in Pembrokeshire, the message is simple. As one nurse told The Herald: “Patients in corridors are not numbers. They’re people who deserve care, dignity and respect. We just want the system to let us do our jobs properly.”