Health board urges public to use NHS 111 and alternative services as demand surges at Withybush and Glangwili

PRESSURE on accident and emergency departments across west Wales continued on Monday (Jan 12), with Hywel Dda University Health Board urging the public to use the most appropriate services for their needs.

The health board said its Emergency Departments across all sites were under significant strain, with Withybush Hospital and Glangwili Hospital experiencing particularly high demand.

In a public message, the health board asked people to “help us to help you” by seeking the right care in the right place, where it is safe to do so.

Residents who are unwell but unsure where to go are being advised to contact NHS 111 Wales, which is staffed by trained healthcare professionals and can offer advice and direct patients to the most appropriate service. The service is available online or by telephone.

The health board stressed that anyone experiencing a serious or life-threatening emergency should continue to call 999 without hesitation.

People needing urgent mental health support can access help 24 hours a day by calling NHS 111 and selecting option two, while those with minor injuries or illnesses that need same-day treatment but are not life-threatening are encouraged to use Minor Injury Units where appropriate.

Community pharmacies were also highlighted as a first point of contact for a range of common ailments, with many offering walk-in advice, assessment and treatment without the need for an appointment.

The health board also appealed for help from families where possible to support the discharge of relatives who are medically fit to leave hospital but are waiting for homecare or community health arrangements to be put in place. It said family support, where available, can help speed up the discharge process and free up hospital beds.

With cold weather continuing, residents were also encouraged to follow winter health advice from Public Health Wales to help reduce illness and pressure on NHS services.

The health board thanked the public for their cooperation and support as services continue to deal with sustained winter pressures.

A GENEROUS grant from a volunteer-led local group, part of Sands, has funded a bespoke pull-down double bed for the bereavement room on the labour ward at Glangwili Hospital.

The specialist fitted bed, which cost more than £16,000, has transformed the bereavement room into a more family-focused space, allowing parents to remain close and support one another at an incredibly difficult time.

The bereavement room forms part of the hospital’s newly built Labour Suite and is fully self-contained, with a kitchenette, small dining area and ensuite bathroom. Until now, however, the room only included a birthing bed and a single sofa bed, meaning partners were unable to rest together.

Feedback gathered from bereaved families through Sands and local parent support groups highlighted the importance of physical closeness following the loss of a baby. Parents described how being able to lie together, rather than apart, can provide comfort, reassurance and a sense of shared support during the early stages of grief.

The funds for the bed were raised by Carmarthenshire & Pembrokeshire Sands volunteers Hayley Vallance, Astra Shipton and Sioned Twose, who organised a burlesque-inspired charity event, Zoo-la-la, at Manor House Wildlife Park in September 2025. The event raised more than £20,000.

The volunteer-led Carmarthenshire & Pembrokeshire Sands group supports anyone affected by pregnancy loss or the death of a baby across the two counties.

Alison Jones, Clinical and Operational Lead Midwife, said: “The loss of a baby is a devastating experience, and the environment in which families grieve can make a real difference.

“This bespoke bed allows parents to be physically close, to hold each other and to share their grief in a private, dignified space. It will have a profound impact, and we are incredibly grateful to Carmarthenshire & Pembrokeshire Sands for making this possible.”

Hayley Vallance and Astra Shipton, volunteers with Carmarthenshire & Pembrokeshire Sands, said:
“Our fundraising is in memory of George, Owen and all the babies gone too soon, and to help raise awareness of the vital support provided by Sands and the NHS to families when they need it most.

“We hope this specialist bed will bring comfort and dignity to parents during the hardest moments of their lives. Couples deserve to be together at such times, and we are honoured to have supported such a meaningful improvement in care for our community.”

Jen Coates, Director of Bereavement Support, Community and Volunteering at Sands, said:
“We are extremely grateful to Hayley, Astra and Sioned for their dedication and hard work supporting bereaved families in Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire.

“By fundraising for this bed at Glangwili Hospital, our volunteers have made a lasting and meaningful difference to the experience of families at an unimaginably difficult time.”

A GROWING debate over assisted dying has moved to the forefront of Welsh politics, as more than 250 doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals urge the Senedd to reject plans that would allow terminally ill adults to seek medical assistance to end their lives.

The intervention comes ahead of a crucial vote on Tuesday (Jan 20), when Members of the Senedd will be asked whether Wales should give legislative consent to the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, legislation currently progressing through Westminster but with direct implications for devolved health services in Wales.

The Bill, which applies to mentally competent adults diagnosed with a terminal illness and given six months or less to live, has been promoted by its supporters as a compassionate option for those facing unbearable suffering. However, critics argue that it risks placing vulnerable people under subtle pressure to end their lives and could fundamentally alter the relationship between patients and clinicians.

In an open letter, more than 250 healthcare professionals working across Wales have expressed “serious concerns” about the proposals, warning that the legislation could undermine patient safety, suicide prevention efforts and confidence in end-of-life care.

The signatories include over 120 doctors alongside nurses, specialist nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, pharmacists, paramedics, radiographers and medical managers, many of whom work in frontline roles within NHS Wales.

They stress that their opposition is not rooted in ideology but in the practical operation of the law within an already stretched health system.

Dr Sarah Davies, a respiratory physician based in north Wales, said the forthcoming vote should not be seen as a general endorsement or rejection of assisted dying in principle.

She said: “It is vital that our elected representatives understand that this vote concerns the specific details of this proposed legislation and how it will operate. It is not a general vote on assisted suicide.”

One of the central concerns raised is access to palliative and hospice care. Palliative care physician Dr Victoria Wheatley warned that many patients in Wales are currently unable to access specialist end-of-life support.

She said: “People living in around a quarter of Wales cannot access a hospice bed. That means they do not have real choice. Funding a state-sponsored assisted dying service without first ensuring comprehensive palliative care is not the right approach for Wales.”

Mental health specialists have also voiced alarm. Consultant psychiatrist Dr Stuart Porter said the Bill could undermine Wales’ Suicide Prevention and Self-Harm Delivery Plan for 2025–2028 and place psychiatrists in an ethically conflicted position.

He warned that the Mental Capacity Act was never designed to assess decisions around assisted dying and said the proposed role for psychiatrists is not supported by the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

Senior figures in Welsh medicine have also joined the call. Former Chief Medical Officer for Wales Dame Deirdre Hine is among the signatories, citing concerns about unintended consequences and the potential impact on disabled people, homeless individuals and others who may already feel marginalised.

Professor Hope-Gill has raised additional constitutional concerns, warning that the Bill relies heavily on so-called “Henry VIII powers”, allowing key aspects of the system to be altered later through secondary legislation with limited scrutiny.

The clinicians also point to cross-border complexities. More than 13,300 Welsh residents are registered with GP practices in England, while over 21,100 English residents are registered with GPs in Wales, raising questions about jurisdiction, oversight and consistency of safeguards.

Supporters of assisted dying argue that strict safeguards would be built into the law and that similar systems already operate in countries such as Canada and parts of Europe. Campaigners say the legislation would offer dignity and autonomy to those facing intolerable suffering at the end of life.

Several Senedd Members have previously indicated that the issue is one of conscience rather than party politics, and the forthcoming vote is expected to cut across traditional political lines.

In their concluding statement, the healthcare professionals said the Bill risks undermining devolved decision-making in healthcare and creating inequality in access to care, urging Members of the Senedd to withhold legislative consent.

Support and help

This article discusses issues relating to suicide. Anyone who may be struggling or feeling distressed can seek confidential support from the Samaritans on 116 123, or from CALM on 0800 58 58 58. Support is available 24 hours a day.