News

Emotions run high at public meeting

Published

10 years ago

August 20, 2015

THE ROYAL COLLEGE of Paediatrics and Child Health has been commissioned by the Local Health Board to undertake an independent evaluation of the changes in women and children’s healthcare services in Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire.

As part of that exercise, a public meetingwasheldat WithybushHospital’s Conference Centre on the evening of Wednesday (Jul 29), at 5:30pm. Present were members of the panel charged with carrying out the review and around 300 members of the public.

As the first year anniversary of the Midwifery Led Unit approaches, the experiences shared with the panel were not as positive as the Health Board might have hoped.

And, as The Pembrokeshire Herald can now reveal, the nature of the written material submitted to the Community Health Council, is no less searing an indictmentthantheinformationdelivered to the panel in person on Wednesday.

Two retired members of staff, a paediatrician and a surgeon made it clear thatthechangeswroughtto Withybush’s level of care placed patients’ lives and well-being at risk, pointing out – in the latter instance – the statistical likelihood of additional infant mortality.

While the clinicians’ words were chilling, the experiences of patients clearly affected both those telling the panel of their experiences and the panel members.

The financial hardship caused by the changes to Pembrokeshire families were highlighted by two parents. The need for extra childcare to be paid for when attending Glangwili does not appear to have been taken into account as one of the inevitable effects of moving services away from where patients and their families actually live. She related how she was told she needed to be induced as there was no space available at the weekend.

One family were forced to take out an £8,000 loan to cover the cost of three months’ travel while their premature baby was in hospital with the baby’s mother. The human cost, also affected their older child due to the time spent travellingtoandfromhospitalmeantthat it had to spend an extended period with its grandparents.

Issues regarding transport links, the poor quality or lack thereof, and the absence of accessible public transport at weekends appeared to take the panel members aback. They were further distressed by the experiences of patients with paediatric and maternity services at Glangwili.

The chaos at Glangwili was also the subject matter of emotive submissions: one parent was told how he was told to leave the hospital at 6am, only to need to return three hours later when his child was taken to the Special Care Baby Unit. A couple, fed up with being told that the woman was not in labour because Glangwili staff were able to tell that she was not OVER THE PHONE, ended up delivering their own child in a layby at Canaston Bridge and transporting the baby to hospital wrapped in a coat.

On mum told how she was left in the gown she gave birth in, covered in blood, and with an epidural still in her.

Here is one sample of the patient experiences disclosed to The Herald which the panel will be considering: “My son was born in March. At two weeks old he started vomiting, so our GP changed his milk formula. Over the next few days my baby deteriorated rapidly. After an incident where he passed blood, I called the out of hours’ service at Care on Call. An ambulance was sent and he was rushed to Glangwili. He was in Glangwili for a week being treated for a milk allergy before I was told a heart murmur had been detected. Although poorly he was discharged. The following day I took him to Withybush. A heart scan was carried out and he was diagnosed with pyloric stenosis. I was toldhewouldhavediedhadwenottaken him to Withybush. He was blue-lighted all the way to Cardiff for emergency surgery, but because he was so weak he had to wait to be stabilised first. Had Withybush not been shut, he would have had his treatment and diagnosis straight away. Instead, we had a long and heart-breaking month. Thankfully, my son is slowly improving.”

The panel members were told that midwives who had been compelled to work at Glangwili with no compensation or alternative being given to them or face losing their jobs had left the service as a result of bullying and the demands being placed upon them and their families by the changes.

The Herald can reveal that in November 2014 a complaint was made to the Royal College of Midwives about the staffing culture and situation at Glangwili. The Herald can confirm that a dozen midwives have left or are in the process of serving their notice having quit.

When the service was obstetrician-led, there were five midwives on call overnight. There are now meant to be three covering the whole of Pembrokeshire AND the Midwifery Unit at Withybush. The Herald has been told that the reality of the situation is that often only two midwives are on duty in the county.

Marc Tierney, Labour Assembly Candidate for South Pembrokeshire told The Herald: “It was really important for me that, having made the case for Withybush on many occasions, so many people came along to share their experiences.

“I am very disappointed that the public meeting was so poorly organised. For the review to be trusted it must be builtongatheringasmanypatientstories as possible from across the area to balance the other statistical and clinical evidence being collected.

“That is why I called on the Review Team to undertake a further meeting in SouthPembrokeshireandinCarmarthen so patients there could meet face to face with the reviewers. This isn’t just about Withybush it is about how the services at Glangwili are meeting patient needs now.

“The Health Board and the Review Team have to get this right, regardless of the small additional costs or extra time that may be required.”

Charity

Call for Welsh charities to join new volunteering revolution

Published

12 minutes ago

June 18, 2025

Tom Sinclair

New digital platform aims to boost volunteer numbers across Wales

CHARITIES of all sizes across Wales are being urged to sign up to a new digital volunteering platform designed to make it easier for people to give their time and support vital community causes.

Created by the Royal Voluntary Service, with funding from players of People’s Postcode Lottery, the platform will help connect charities with would-be volunteers in their local areas. It is free to use and aims to modernise how volunteering is accessed and managed.

Voluntary organisations across the country have struggled in recent years with declining volunteer numbers. But research by Royal Voluntary Service suggests this trend could be reversed. In Wales, 45% of people said they would be more likely to volunteer if they could do so flexibly via an app or online platform.

Motivation to contribute remains strong, with many citing a desire to support their local community as a key reason to volunteer. The new platform aims to tap into this enthusiasm by making it easier for people to find roles that suit their lifestyles.

Launching to the public this autumn, the platform will allow users to browse, filter and apply for volunteering roles with just a few clicks. In the meantime, charities can sign up and begin uploading roles from June onwards to test the platform.

It is hoped the platform will become a central hub for flexible, accessible and digitally enabled volunteering in Wales. Charities from all sectors—whether in sport, the arts, health, environmental work or animal welfare—are encouraged to register and offer a diverse range of roles.

Making opportunities inclusive and varied—from one-off remote roles to team-based or traditional placements—will help widen access to volunteering and inspire a new generation of community contributors.

As well as improving recruitment, the platform aims to reduce the administrative burden for charities. Volunteers will complete a one-time onboarding and identity check, enabling them to switch between roles and organisations without repeating basic steps. Free criminal record checks will also be introduced in future.

Catherine Johnstone CBE, Chief Executive of Royal Voluntary Service, said:

“We’ve developed this platform in partnership with charities large and small to ensure it’s genuinely useful across the board. By breaking down the barriers to volunteering, we’re helping more people fit it into their busy lives. Thanks to the support of People’s Postcode Lottery players, we’re on the brink of a volunteer revolution, and we want as many Welsh charities as possible to be part of it.”

Clara Govier, Managing Director at People’s Postcode Lottery, added:

“Volunteers are the lifeblood of so many charities. This platform will help new generations find opportunities that suit their lives—whether locally or online. We’re incredibly proud to support Royal Voluntary Service in delivering this initiative.”

Local charities have also welcomed the platform.
Damian Golden, Accessible Vehicle Co-ordinator for Pembrokeshire Association of Community Transport Organisations (PACTO), said:

“Volunteers are the heart of our community transport network. We’re hopeful this platform will help us connect with more passionate individuals and extend our reach across Pembrokeshire.”

The platform is free for charities and includes identity checks for volunteers. Organisations interested in registering or taking part in upcoming workshops and webinars can find out more at www.royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk.

Entertainment

Welsh National Theatre sets up home in Swansea

Published

3 hours ago

June 18, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Michael Sheen’s company to debut first production in the city next January

SWANSEA has been named the official home of the newly founded Welsh National Theatre.

The company, established earlier this year by actor and director MICHAEL SHEEN, will be headquartered at Swansea’s Civic Centre overlooking Swansea Bay — a symbolic location, connecting Welsh storytelling to both its roots and the wider world.

The company’s first production, Our Town, will premiere at the Swansea Grand Theatre from January 16 to 31, 2026, before touring Wales and concluding its run at the Rose Theatre in Kingston-upon-Thames. The production is directed by Swansea-born FRANCESCA GOODRIDGE, with fellow Swansea native RUSSELL T DAVIES serving as creative associate.

Sheen, who serves as artistic director, said: “My theatrical journey began in Swansea as a member of the West Glamorgan Youth Theatre, so it feels fitting to return and establish Welsh National Theatre here. Swansea is a place of creativity, resilience and inspiration. This isn’t just about securing office space — it’s about building a cultural hub for artists, producers and writers to collaborate and create before the work even reaches the stage.”

He added: “In just seven months, a Swansea audience will be the first in the world to experience a Welsh National Theatre production live. The countdown is truly on.”

Welsh National Theatre’s founding chief executive SHARON GILBURD praised the city’s support: “There’s a real sense of partnership here. Swansea Council has shown a genuine commitment to fostering a thriving cultural scene — not just for today, but for future generations.”

Following Our Town, Sheen will take to the stage once more in November 2026 to play Owain Glyndŵr in Owain & Henry, a new work by playwright GARY OWEN, produced in collaboration with the Wales Millennium Centre.

The decision to base the company in Swansea was welcomed by Council Leader ROB STEWART, who described it as “a proud moment for the city”.

“Having Welsh National Theatre based in Swansea shows how far we’ve come as a creative city,” he said. “This bold move will help raise the profile of Welsh storytelling globally and strengthen Swansea’s role as a national and international hub for creative talent.”

He added: “This will bring real opportunities for local actors, musicians, artists, writers, and technicians to be part of something world-class — and to create new work that’s rooted in Wales. The impact will be transformative.”

The move follows several months of discussions between the company and Swansea Council.

Cabinet Member for Culture, Human Rights and Equalities, ELLIOTT KING, said the theatre’s decision reflects years of sustained investment in the local arts sector.

“Swansea is now home to everything from major venues like the Swansea Arena to community-led theatre projects like Grand Ambition,” he said. “Our creative industries are flourishing, and with Welsh National Theatre joining that ecosystem, Swansea is well-positioned to make a lasting mark on the international stage.”

Charity

Call for Welsh charities to join new volunteering revolution

Published

5 hours ago

June 18, 2025

Tom Sinclair

New digital platform aims to boost volunteer numbers across Wales

CHARITIES of all sizes across Wales are being urged to sign up to a new digital volunteering platform designed to make it easier for people to give their time and support vital community causes.

Catherine Johnstone CBE, Chief Executive of Royal Voluntary Service, said: “We’ve developed this platform in partnership with charities large and small to ensure it’s genuinely useful across the board. By breaking down the barriers to volunteering, we’re helping more people fit it into their busy lives. Thanks to the support of People’s Postcode Lottery players, we’re on the brink of a volunteer revolution, and we want as many Welsh charities as possible to be part of it.”

Clara Govier, Managing Director at People’s Postcode Lottery, added: “Volunteers are the lifeblood of so many charities. This platform will help new generations find opportunities that suit their lives—whether locally or online. We’re incredibly proud to support Royal Voluntary Service in delivering this initiative.”

Local charities have also welcomed the platform.

Damian Golden, Accessible Vehicle Co-ordinator for Pembrokeshire Association of Community Transport Organisations (PACTO), said: “Volunteers are the heart of our community transport network. We’re hopeful this platform will help us connect with more passionate individuals and extend our reach across Pembrokeshire.”