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 SCHEME for 50 homes in a Pembrokeshire town, which was put on hold temporarily last month, has been refused despite a call for it to remain paused.

In an application recommended for refusal at the October, and now November, meetings of Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee, South Meadow Homes Ltd sought permission for a development of 50 homes, including a 10 per cent affordable housing contribution, on land north of Gibbas Way, Pembroke.

A report for members said that further financial obligations for the scheme, other than affordable housing units, were sought, comprising of financial obligations to address the shortfall in planned capacity at Henry Tudor School (£41,321.74) and ‘active travel’ improvements (£25,000) respectively.

The financial obligations sought total £66,321.74.

It said that, other than the provision of the affordable housing units, “the applicant has challenged the obligations sought, suggesting that they are not justified and inferring that the development will be unviable if they are to be secured”.

It was recommended for refusal on the grounds of the absence of that obligation and for the need for a full Screening and Appropriate Assessment (AA) in compliance with the Habitats Regulations (2017) in consultation with Natural Resources Wales.

It said, in the absence of this, to grant planning permission would be “unlawful”.

Pembrokeshire County Council recently backed sending a letter to the First Minister, conveying the authority’s “great concern over Natural Resources Wales’ recent river nitrates guidance,” which has “essentially placed a moratorium on certain types of development in Pembrokeshire”.

It says the area which development is required to demonstrate nitrogen neutrality is approximately 75 per cent of the county, including Haverfordwest, Narberth, Pembroke and Pembroke Dock, and amounts to approximately 35 per cent of the council’s future housing land supply.

At the October meeting, members heard the applicants were investigating ways of mitigating the NRW concerns, and “at no time” had they refused the other obligations sought, awaiting an independent valuation of the viability with those conditions.

Members backed the scheme being “paused” while those issues could be addressed, the application returning to the November meeting.

At the November meeting, agent Guy Thomas reiterated there was no refusal to pay a contribution; members hearing the nitrates issue was ongoing.

“All we’re asking is for the opportunity to develop this application on a paused basis,” he said.

He said the cost for providing the affordable units amounted to some £0.75m, adding: “Our grievance is on top of that a late bid has been put in by education and highways, despite assurances it was no longer incumbent.”

He asked: “Why of all the nitrates paused applications have we been singled out for refusal?” he asked, adding: “Work with us to create these 50 new homes; we need you to allow the application to remain paused.”

Moving the recommendation of refusal, Cllr Simon Hancock said the scheme in its current form could not be approved.

Members voted in favour of the recommendation of refusal by 11 votes to one, with one abstention.

RESUBMITTED plans for a previously refused scheme for eco-friendly natural burials at a Pembrokeshire cemetery have now been given the go-ahead by the county council.

A natural burial is an eco-friendly alternative to traditional burial, burying a body in the ground without a coffin or headstone.

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council refused in April, the Trustees of Tabernacle Chapel sought permission for a change of use of agricultural land to extend the existing Tabernacle Cemetery, Fishguard to include a natural burial site.

A supporting statement, through agent Gethin Beynon, said the land has been in the cemetery ownership since 1945, adding: “As the development is not proposing any engineering or physical features with the natural habitat being retained, it is considered the change of use of the land would be in keeping in an area where other cemeteries exist to the north, east and west of the application site.”

It added: “With regard to the operation of the burial ground, when a burial takes place, a plot is allocated, and the turf cut and set aside. The topsoil and subsoil are then heaped alongside the grave. The graves would be dug to the appropriate depth to earth over the coffin to protect it whilst allowing the body to recycle in the active/living layer of the soil.”

It said grave locations are plotted and recorded on plan, with no marked graves.

The application was supported by Fishguard and Goodwick Town Council, subject to satisfactory outcomes of an archaeological survey in relation to nearby Castell Mwrtach, an Iron Age defended enclosure and possible associated earthworks, along with discussions with the south Wales Trunk Road Agency.

An officer report, recommending refusal previously, said Natural Resources Wales (NRW) had raised concerns about potential water pollution to controlled waters, with no risk assessment in support of the scheme submitted.

Archaeological advisors Heneb had said a geophysics survey of the site was needed to determine any effect on adjacent to Castell Mwrtach, with none submitted.

The scheme was refused by planning officers on the grounds of the concerns raised.

The resubmitted application said a ground and controlled waters assessment has been undertaken and a geophysics survey and archaeological evaluation has been undertaken, concluding the proposed use of the land would not have an unacceptable impact on the historic environment.

An officer report recommending approval said NRW was satisfied there are no unacceptable risks posed to controlled waters, adding there were no objections from Heneb, or on any potential impact on highways.

The resubmitted application has now been conditionally approved by planners.