News

Volunteer coffee shop could go from Withybush

Published

9 years ago

August 7, 2015

Coming soon to a hospital near you?

THE ROYAL VOLUNTARY SERVICE, formerly the WRVS, has responded to the announcement that the Local Health Board is to oust its existing coffee shop from Withybush General Hospital.

Earlier this week, the Local Health Board revealed that it is seeking expressions of interest from companies to replace cafés and shops in its hospitals.

A spokesperson for the Health Board said: “Hywel Dda UHB is looking for potential tenants to operate high quality cafe environments and retail outlets in Bronglais, Glangwili, Prince Philip and Withybush Hospitals.”

Interested parties are being asked to outline their plans for the refurbishment of areas of the hospitals at zero cost to Hywel Dda UHB in order to generate income for the organisation through rent and turnover rent. This can then be used to improve the hospital environment for patients and visitors.

At present, the identified spaces are used for cafés and shops provided by the Royal Voluntary Service (RVS), other private providers and in-house staff providing:

Glangwili Hospital – separate café and shop (both provided by RVS)
Bronglais Hospital – shop (provided in-house by Hywel Dda employees)
Prince Philip Hospital – combined cafe and shop (private provider)
Withybush Hospital – separate cafe (RVS) and shop (WH Smith)

Peter Skitt, Director of Operations for Hywel Dda UHB said: “More and more hospitals across the UK are looking at opportunities to support the patient and visitor experience, whilst also generating income that can be reinvested into improving hospital environments.

“We are still very early on in this process and are being very clear that contracts will only be awarded if the offer given is deemed to deliver the quality and financial returns we expect against what is currently provided at each site. This will be based on potential income for Hywel Dda UHB, as well as quality and scope of services being offered.”

Hywel Dda UHB staff will meet with the private provider at Prince Philip Hospital in advance of the notice and with in-house staff providing services at Bronglais Hospital. There will be no redundancies of Hywel Dda staff as a result of this process. Hywel Dda UHB will provide the required three month notice to the WH Smith shop at Withybush Hospital and a meeting will be held in early October with WH Smith in advance of this notice being served.

Hywel Dda UHB paid tribute to the services already provided, particularly the many years’ service and support provided to patients, staff and visitors by the RVS in Glangwili and Withybush hospitals.

Mr Skitt explained: “We are very mindful that for many years Glangwili and Withybush hospitals have been provided with highly regarded, first class services by the RVS. This decision to explore alternative providers is in no way a reflection on the service RVS or their employees and volunteers have provided us. Members of our estates teamhavemetwithRVSrepresentatives and RVS employees and volunteers have been informed.”

Peter Llewellyn, Assistant Director of Strategic Partnerships, added: “Regardless of the outcome of this process, RVS will continue to be a valued partner providing vital services to patients. I have already begun discussions regarding potentially extending current RVS community based transport services across the region. This will greatly enhance patient access to hospitals and other health care settings, particularly for those from rural areas.”

Hywel Dda UHB is also being clear to interested companies and other potential providers that Hywel Dda UHB is committed to the Welsh Government’s vision to supporting healthy eating and this will need to be reflected.

The announcement makes it clear that the Health Board is seeking to follow the path taken by hospitals in the rest of Wales and parts of England, where primary health care providers have effectively been compelled to look to private companies to bolster already squeezed budgets.

Lesley Thompson, Royal Voluntary Service, Head of Support and Development for West of England and Wales, told The Herald: “We are aware that the Board is inviting tenders and we are currently in discussion with them regarding how we continue to work with one another going forward. Our volunteers and staff have worked tremendously hard at the hospitals for many years and we know that their efforts have been hugely appreciated. Whatever the outcome of discussions, we would like to take this opportunity to thank them for everything they have done to make the services at the hospitals a success.”

A local RVS volunteer told us that there was a sense of regret at the end of an era: “There is a lot of disappointment amongst the staff and we feel like we have been let down by the hospital. People are very upset. We have been at Withybush and before then at the old County Hospital for years. It all seems to be about money, these days.”

News

Fresh questions over fire that ravaged Manorbier school

Published

2 mins ago

May 3, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A senior Pembrokeshire councillor is to be quizzed on what progress has been made in recouping a £200,000 insurance excess paid by the council following the 2022 fire at a Manorbier school.

Manorbier Church in Wales VC School and its adjoining schoolhouse was severely damaged by a fire on October 11, 2022, which broke out in the school roof space.

Pupils and staff were successfully evacuated with no injuries, and a “school from school” was set up in Jameston Village Hall, after a brief period of sanctuary at the nearby Buttyland caravan site.

Pembrokeshire County Council’s insurers have previously said the fire was accidentally started while “hot works” were being carried out by contractors to renew an adjacent flat roof, but, as has previously been stressed, no liability had been accepted to date.

Councillors have previously heard the majority of costs were likely to be met from the council’s insurers, with the caveat of the unknown issue of liability and its effect on the £200,000 insurance excess.

A submitted question, by Councillor Aled Thomas, to be heard at the full council meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council on May 9, will ask Cabinet Member for Education and Welsh Language Cllr Guy Woodham “to update the chamber on what progress the Cabinet have made in recouping the £200,000 insurance excess paid following the devastating non-fault fire at Manorbier school”.

Councillors have previously been told by Cllr Woodham: “The legal issues are not straightforward but will be robustly taken forward.

“At this stage it’s still subject to legal discussion. The excess will be covered by a fund the council holds for insurance excess.”

He said that, if liability was found or accepted, the council would “pursue for the full maximum claim of the costs associated with the fire”.

Crime

Dafydd Llywelyn retains his post as our local commissioner

Published

4 mins ago

May 3, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE result of the election for the Dyfed-Powys Police and Crime Commissioner election has been declared.

Plaid’s Dafydd Llywelyn retains his role as commissioner. He has held the role since 2016.

The result of the election is as follows:

Justin Mark Griffiths (Lib Dem) 7,719
Ian Harrison 19,134 (Con)
Dafydd Llywelyn 31,323 (Plaid)
Philippa Thompson (Lab) 18,353

Before the election, Dafydd Llywelyn promised: “As your current Commissioner, operational, front-line policing has, and always will come before party politics. I have a strong track record of delivering on my promises and of listening to the communities of Dyfed Powys. I am proud of what I have achieved since 2016, but there is still so much to do.

“I am an approachable individual and I believe in listening to all members of the community in order to shape a successful police force.

“Since 2016, I have increased resources whilst also retaining the lowest council tax levels in Wales. During that time, we’ve seen:

150 more Police Officers;

150 more Police Staff;
A CCTV system that is monitored 24/7 by police staff;
A dedicated rural crime team;
A focus on county lines drug dealing to target organised crime;
Investment in Youth Offending Teams to divert young people away from crime;
A new Offender Diversionary Scheme to reduce re-offending.

If re – elected:

I will safeguard Neighbourhood Policing resources retaining a visible local policing presence;
I will invest in the Communications Centre to ensure an accessible service;
I will continue to put the victim at the heart of the service and develop a truly victim led service;
I will work with operational staff to keep local police stations open;
I will invest in a new and refreshed School Police programme to deliver early intervention and preventative work;
I will prioritise working in partnership with organisations and agencies to safeguard the most vulnerable in society.

“Your safety is my top priority. I want to ensure that the Dyfed Powys Police Force remains one of the safest places to live in Wales and England.”

News

Pembroke Power Station hydrogen fuel production hopes rise

Published

7 mins ago

May 3, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A public consultation on plans to develop a green hydrogen production facility next to Pembroke Power Station has been launched by energy company RWE Generation UK.

The technology uses the electrolysis of water to split into its constituent elements, hydrogen for fuel and power, and oxygen.

RWE, in its consultation, says: “RWE is progressing proposals to develop a green hydrogen production facility on RWE’s land adjacent to the existing Pembroke Power Station and has launched a statutory pre-application consultation to inform stakeholders and the community.

“RWE values the input of the local community and feedback will be used to inform the plans. RWE Pembroke Green Hydrogen will facilitate the generation of green hydrogen. Green hydrogen is produced from water, using energy obtained from renewable sources.

“The hydrogen can then be used to decarbonise local industrial activities in South Wales, by displacing their current fossil fuel usage. The facility would be located on RWE’s site to the west of Pembroke Power Station and would benefit from being well-screened from local communities, while being accessed via the current power station access road.”

It adds: “It is expected that hydrogen generated by this facility for use in local industry would directly result in the reduction of approximately 93,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year, helping to secure a more sustainable future for South Wales’ long-standing industrial heritage. This CO2 saving is the equivalent of removing 18,600 cars from the road each year.”

The 23.7ha development site proposed comprises of a 4ha main electrolyser area, a 1.5km hydrogen gas pipeline corridor, an electrical connection to a high voltage transformer all located to the west of Pembroke Power Station, and an area for connections into the Pembroke Power Station and a cable corridor for connection into the National Grid Substation.

The consultation documents say: “The proposed development is a green hydrogen electrolysis plant that will consume circa 100-110MW of electricity to produce around 2 te/hr green hydrogen gas for third-party uses unrelated to Pembroke Power Station. Including the balance of plant, the total energy consumption for the proposed development will be approximately 140MW.

“The consequent reduction in use of fossil fuels due to substitution by green hydrogen gas, and avoided greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, is a beneficial operational effect of the proposed development.”

It says development of the project is expected to take 24 months, and subject to as-yet unsubmitted full plans’ approval, could be built by early 2027.

The consultation runs to May 20.

A hydrogen fuel plant facility was given the backing of county planners last October, at the former Puma Energy site in Milford Haven.

H2 Energy Ecosystem UK Limited sought permission for the erection of an electrolysis hydrogen generation facility, and associated storage facilities and works at the Amoco Road site.