NURSES and doctors from Wales’s leading health unions have warned that treating patients in hospital corridors is becoming increasingly routine, as concerns grow over patient safety and overcrowding – including at hospitals serving Pembrokeshire.

Representatives from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and the British Medical Association (BMA) gathered at the Senedd on last week (Dec 10) ahead of a debate on so-called ‘corridor care’, where patients are treated in hallways, waiting areas or other unsuitable spaces due to a lack of beds.

The debate was prompted by a joint petition from the two unions calling on the Welsh Government to formally measure the scale of corridor care across Wales and take action to prevent it, including greater investment in community and social care. The petition attracted more than 10,000 signatures from across the country.

In Pembrokeshire, healthcare services are provided by Hywel Dda University Health Board, which runs Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest alongside hospitals in Carmarthen and Aberystwyth. The health board has repeatedly acknowledged sustained pressure on emergency departments, particularly during winter months, when demand rises and patient flow slows due to difficulties discharging patients into community care.

Union representatives say corridor care is increasingly being reported by frontline staff across Wales, including west Wales, and warn that it poses serious risks to patients.

A recent report by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine estimated there were more than 900 excess deaths in Wales last year associated with long waits in A&E.

Dr Manish Adke, chair of the BMA’s Welsh Consultants Committee, said the practice was deeply distressing for staff.

“As health professionals it is extremely distressing to see patients in unsafe, inappropriate spaces whilst they are at their most vulnerable,” he said.

“What’s worse is that this practice is becoming systematically normalised and that is completely unacceptable. It is not what we trained for, it’s not the care we want to give, and it is putting patients at risk of serious harm.

“Without an allocated bed space we cannot properly stabilise patients with fluids, antibiotics or invasive lines. This leads to poorer outcomes and increases the risk of death.”

Helen Whyley, Executive Director of RCN Wales, said nurses were doing their best in what she described as “dangerous and undignified” conditions.

“Hard-working nurses and healthcare professionals are caring for seriously ill patients in unacceptable conditions, adding stress for staff and patients alike,” she said.

“We are calling on the Welsh Government to work with us and the BMA on solutions, including improved care pathways and greater investment in frontline community services such as district nursing.”

The Welsh Government has previously acknowledged the pressures facing hospitals, particularly in rural areas such as west Wales, where an ageing population and difficulties recruiting staff add to the challenge. Ministers have said delayed hospital discharges – often linked to shortages in social care and community provision – are a major factor in bed shortages.

Hywel Dda University Health Board has also stated in recent updates that it is working to reduce pressure on emergency departments by improving patient flow, expanding same-day emergency care, and working with local authorities to speed up safe discharges.

However, unions argue that without sustained investment outside hospitals, including in social care and community nursing, the problem will persist.

The Welsh Government says it has invested additional funding into health and social care this year and maintains that eliminating corridor care entirely will require system-wide change rather than short-term fixes.

The Senedd debate is expected to hear contributions from across the political spectrum, with patient safety, dignity and winter pressures all likely to feature prominently.

HYWEL DDA UNIVERSITY HEALTH BOARD’S Optometric Team has been honoured with the Health Board Support Award at the Optometry Wales Awards 2025.

The award – sponsored by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) – was presented by BBC Wales broadcaster Lucy Owen during a ceremony held in Cardiff on 29 November 2025.

Organised by Optometry Wales, the awards celebrate outstanding achievement across the eye-care sector in Wales. They recognise individuals and teams whose work goes above and beyond through clinical excellence, innovation, sustainability, mentoring, and service development.

Recognising leadership and support during major reform

Hywel Dda’s Optometric Team received the award for its significant support to practices across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, and Pembrokeshire during the rollout of the new national Optometry contract.

Their nomination highlighted the team’s strong leadership through the transition period and their commitment to ensuring practices were fully equipped to deliver high-quality eye health services under the new contract.

A key part of this work was developing new clinical pathways to ensure more patients could be safely managed in primary care. These pathways have improved access to timely local care and reduced the need for hospital appointments, ensuring people receive the right care in the right place.

Over 13,300 community appointments delivered

Since January 2024, more than 13,300 appointments have taken place in community settings using these enhanced pathways. Previously, many of these cases would have required referral to the hospital eye service. Now, an average of only 13.9% of patients require hospital referral — a significant shift demonstrating the positive impact of strengthened community-based care.

The team has also played a central role in developing Optometry Collaboratives, bringing together local practices to share ideas, improve services, and meet the needs of the local population.

“A fantastic achievement”

Rachel Absalom, Head of Optometric Services at Hywel Dda UHB, said: “We are incredibly proud to receive this award. It reflects the dedication of our committed team and the strong relationships we have built with practices across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire.
“The new pathways have made a real difference for patients, enabling more care to take place closer to home, and we are grateful to our colleagues in primary care who have worked with us to make this possible.”

Professor Philip Kloer, Chief Executive, added: “This is a fantastic achievement and recognises the vital work of our Optometric Team in supporting the rollout of the new national contract. Their leadership has strengthened local services and helped patients receive care closer to home.
“I’m also delighted to see several independent practices from our region recognised on the night, which demonstrates the exceptionally high standards of care delivered across Hywel Dda.”

Six regional wins on the night

A total of six awards were won across the Hywel Dda region. They included:

• Optometrist of the Year: Andy Britton (Specsavers Haverfordwest)
• Independent Practice of the Year: MN Charlton (Concept Eye Clinic, Fishguard)
• Dispensing / Contact Lens Optician of the Year: Samantha Houghton (Specsavers Haverfordwest)
• Sustainability Practice of the Year: Specsavers Haverfordwest
• Technology Practice of the Year: Specsavers Haverfordwest

Photo (left to right)

Lucy Owen (Presenter)
Sally Hodson (Optometric Advisor, HDUHB)
Rachel Absalom (Head of Optometric Services, HDUHB)
Hannah Rowlatt (External Engagement Officer, RNIB)
John Dixon (NHS Wales Engagement Manager, RNIB)
Jaynie Scourfield (Quality Assurance Manager – Primary Care, HDUHB)
Mary Owens (Head of Dental and Optometry, HDUHB)

Government unveils £41m boost, but practices warn pressures remain acute

MORE than £41m in extra funding will go into general practice in Wales this year following a new agreement between the Welsh Government, NHS Wales and GP leaders. Ministers say the deal provides stability at a time of rising demand — but the settlement comes against a backdrop of sustained pressures, recruitment challenges and concerns over patient access.

The package includes a 4% uplift to the General Medical Services (GMS) contract for 2025-26, in line with independent DDRB pay recommendations, and a guaranteed 5.8% recurrent uplift from 2026-27. The Welsh Government says the multi-year commitment will allow practices to plan ahead, modernise systems and strengthen community-based services.

Health Secretary Jeremy Miles said the investment showed an “unwavering commitment” to general practice, adding: “The 4% pay uplift ensures fair recognition for GPs and practice staff who work tirelessly to deliver care for communities across our country. Multi-year funding gives practices the confidence to invest in the transformation primary care needs.”

However, the announcement comes at a time when many Welsh practices continue to report severe workforce pressures, rising demand, and longstanding challenges in recruiting new partners. GP numbers have fallen over the past decade, with some practices handing back contracts or operating list closures because of unsustainable workloads. Patient satisfaction with access has also declined, according to the latest Welsh GP Patient Survey.

What the deal includes

The settlement for 2025-26 comprises £37.9m of new investment and £4m in re-invested capacity funding, with the key elements including:

• A 1.77% uplift in expenses, intended to help practices manage inflationary pressures in energy, staffing and running costs.
• A recurrent £20m stabilisation fund to support practices facing immediate operational pressures and to prepare for wider reform under the incoming Sustainable Farming Scheme model for health.
• An increased partnership premium, aimed at retaining experienced GPs and encouraging new partners into a model that some say has become less attractive due to financial and regulatory risk.
• A full review of the GMS allocation formula — the first in more than 20 years — which determines how funding is distributed between practices. Some rural and deprived communities have long argued the current system does not reflect the complexity of local health needs.

Wider context

General practice remains the foundation of the NHS, accounting for around 90% of patient contacts, yet it receives a proportionally small share of the overall health budget compared with hospital services. Both the Welsh NHS Confederation and GPC Wales have repeatedly warned that without sustained investment, primary care risks being unable to meet increasing demand from ageing populations and rising chronic illness.

The Welsh Government’s own “community-by-design” programme relies on shifting more care closer to home, reducing pressure on emergency departments and supporting earlier intervention. For that to be achieved, GP leaders say investment needs to be matched with workforce expansion, improved digital systems, and clear strategies to retain experienced clinicians.

Working groups will now be set up to examine access standards, diabetes prevention and new service models.

Mr Miles said he was pleased that GPs would be “actively contributing to creating innovative care models that enhance access, improve outcomes and deliver care locally.”

GP representatives broadly welcomed the deal but have stressed that it is only one step in addressing the scale of challenge across primary care.