News

Emotions run high at public meeting

Published

11 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.”

Crime

Former Lostprophets singer’s killing ‘not justified’, jury told

Published

23 minutes ago

May 18, 2026

Court Reporter

JURORS in the trial of two prisoners accused of murdering former Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins have been told that his horrific crimes “did not justify his killing in any way”.

Watkins, who was serving a 29-year sentence for child sex offences, was attacked in his cell at high-security HMP Wakefield on October 11 last year.

Leeds Crown Court heard that Rico Gedel, 25, stabbed Watkins three times with a makeshift knife before allegedly passing the weapon to fellow prisoner Samuel Dodsworth, 44.

Both men deny murder and possessing a knife in prison.

‘Done nothing to provoke attack’

Prosecutor Tom Storey KC told the jury on Monday that Watkins had “done nothing whatsoever” to provoke the attack in the period leading up to it.

He said: “However heinous his crimes were, that did not justify his killing in any way.”

The court has heard that Gedel hated being housed with sex offenders and had threatened to hurt “any number of paedophiles” if he was not transferred.

Gedel told the trial he chose Watkins largely because he was nearby, having been placed in the next cell the night before.

Alleged motive

Mr Storey said Gedel’s alleged words before the attack — “This is what paedophiles deserve” — were a clear indication of motive.

The prosecutor said Watkins had no defensive injuries and there was no sign of a struggle, meaning he was likely taken by surprise.

He told jurors that the repeated use of a makeshift knife showed an intention to kill or cause really serious harm.

The court heard Gedel was laughing after the stabbing and allegedly asked prison officers to “let me know when he dies”.

Knife allegation

Dodsworth denies supplying the weapon or helping with the attack.

Gedel claimed Dodsworth gave him the knife and later disposed of it, but Mr Storey told the jury Gedel had “every reason” to lie about him.

The prosecutor said CCTV appeared to show Gedel handing the weapon to Dodsworth after the attack, and suggested Dodsworth acted as if he knew what was happening.

Judge’s warning

Mr Justice Hilliard told jurors that Watkins had committed very serious offences, but “clearly should not have lost his life in prison while serving his sentence”.

He said they must not decide the case on sympathy, anger or disapproval, but on a “cool, calm, careful and impartial” assessment of the evidence.

Watkins was jailed in December 2013 after admitting a string of child sex offences, including the attempted rape of a fan’s baby.

The trial continues.

Community

New parents urged to claim Child Benefit sooner

Published

39 minutes ago

May 18, 2026

Tom Sinclair

HMRC says thousands of families may be missing out by delaying claims

NEW parents across Wales are being urged to claim Child Benefit as soon as possible after new figures revealed that more than 30 per cent are missing out on payments during their baby’s first year.

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) says thousands of families are delaying claims and losing out on financial support which could amount to more than £1,400 a year for a first child.

The warning comes as more than 140,000 babies were born between April and June last year, with HMRC encouraging parents who welcomed a child this spring to make a claim using the HMRC app or online through GOV.UK.

While 6.8 million families claimed Child Benefit in the year to August 2025, only 68.8 per cent did so before their baby’s first birthday.

Child Benefit is worth £27.05 a week, or £1,406.60 a year, for an eldest or only child. Families can also receive £17.90 a week, or £930.80 a year, for each additional child, with no limit on the number of children they can claim for.

HMRC said Child Benefit can be claimed 48 hours after a baby’s birth has been registered, but payments can only be backdated for up to three months from the date the claim is received.

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Chief Customer Officer said: “Spring is a wonderful time to welcome a baby and claiming Child Benefit as soon as possible means your family can benefit from much-needed financial support.

“It is quick and easy to claim Child Benefit via the HMRC app at a time that suits you.”

Parents making a new claim will need their child’s birth or adoption certificate, bank details, their National Insurance number and, if they have one, their partner’s National Insurance number.

For children born outside the UK, parents may also need the child’s original birth or adoption certificate and passport or travel document.

HMRC says payments are usually made automatically into a bank account every four weeks.

Claiming Child Benefit can also help protect a parent’s future State Pension entitlement through National Insurance credits, particularly for those who are not in paid employment or receiving credits through another route.

It also means a child will automatically receive their National Insurance number when they turn 16.

Parents or partners earning more than £60,000 a year may have to pay the High-Income Child Benefit Charge. However, HMRC says families can still claim Child Benefit and choose not to receive the payments, while still receiving National Insurance credits.

Families who previously opted out of Child Benefit payments can restart them through the HMRC app or online.

Photo caption: Helping hand: HMRC is urging new parents to claim Child Benefit as soon as possible after welcoming a baby (Pic: HMRC).

Community

Views sought on new West Wales Learning Disability Strategy

Published

58 minutes ago

May 18, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A CONSULTATION has been launched on a new regional strategy aimed at improving support for people with learning disabilities and neurodivergent people across West Wales.

The proposed West Wales Learning Disability Strategy 2026-2031 covers Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion, and has been developed following two years of engagement with people with learning disabilities, neurodivergent people, families, carers, councils, health services and support organisations.

It would replace three separate but similar local strategies with one regional plan, supported by local action plans for each county.

The strategy has been reviewed by the Regional Improving Lives Partnership, which includes Pembrokeshire County Council, Carmarthenshire County Council, Ceredigion County Council, Hywel Dda University Health Board, Dream Team, Carmarthenshire People First, Pembrokeshire People First, the West Wales Regional Partnership, and projects funded through the Regional Integration Fund.

The plan is informed by the West Wales Population Needs Assessment and focuses on ten priority areas identified during engagement.

These include information, advice and assistance, social services, health services, education, children and young people, socialising and friendships, day opportunities, volunteering and work, housing, transport, advocacy, and support for carers.

Pembrokeshire County Council is now asking residents, service users, families, carers and organisations to give their views on the recommendations.

The consultation is open until Sunday (Jul 5).

People can take part online through the West Wales Regional Partnership Board website, on the West Wales Learning Disability Partnership page.

Anyone who would like a paper copy can contact [email protected] or call 01437 764551.