News

Withybush: Overseas doctors say they have received ‘a wonderful welcome’

Published

9 years ago

December 6, 2015

DOCTORS from overseas who are helping to maintain medical services at Withybush Hospital, Haverfordwest, say they have received ‘a wonderful welcome’ from the NHS and patients alike.

Eight international doctors have now been employed directly by Hywel Dda University Health Board as clinical fellows to support the junior doctor rota and maintain emergency and medical services at the hospital for the Pembrokeshire population.

They have been provided with a two-year training scheme which mirrors many elements of the traditional core medical training (CMT) scheme for junior doctors in the UKs after Withybush Hospital was not allocated any CMTs in August of this year.

Twenty-seven-year-old Yan Lynn Htoo, from Burma, is based in the Emergency and Urgent Care Centre.

He said: “I applied for the job after seeing it advertised on the NHS jobs website and both the hospital and the local area have exceeded my expectations. I was quite anxious when I arrived having not worked in the UK before, but my shadowing and training has been invaluable and I have been supported by the whole multi-disciplinary team.

“In Myanmar (Burma) there is quite a hierarchy where doctors delegate responsibility for things like investigations and bloods to other members of staff. Here the doctor keeps responsibility and that is of benefit as you are personally responsible and there is less likelihood of unnecessary delay or information being missed in translation.

“Everything is computerised, so that has definitely been something of a challenge to overcome but colleagues have been really helpful and we work as one team. Patients have also been very nice and it has been a real insight to be based in the emergency department and see a full range of presentations from those with medical complaints, to those needing surgery, or young children with minor injuries.”

Dr Htoo undertook his medical training back in Myanmar (Burma) and worked previously in Mandalay General Hospital in the specialist areas of medicine, surgery, paediatrics, and obstetrics and gynaecology.

“Although some healthcare is provided free of charge in Myanmar (Burma), for specialist investigations like CT scans you usually have to pay,” he said. “Hopefully one day Myanmar (Burma) will have a system similar to the NHS where healthcare is free at the point of delivery.”

Dr Htoo’s initial intense induction is now complete and he is playing an active role on the junior doctor rota, whilst at the same time studying to achieve further qualifications over a two year period. This will be invaluable to my future career and I am very grateful,” he said.

Dr Htoo is also hoping to spend time travelling around Pembrokeshire and the local area. “I researched the area before applying for the position and part of the attraction was the beautiful beaches, which surpass those in England. I can see the hospital has its challenges being in a rural area, but hopefully this programme is part of the solution.”

The training programme offered by Hywel Dda University Health Board is the first of its kind in Wales and aims to recruit doctors to rural hospitals in an environment of a shortage of junior doctors across the UK. As part of the scheme, the university health board purchases an e-portfolio for each doctor to enable them to build their competencies and achieve qualifications just like other trainee doctors in the NHS.

Another clinical fellow who joined the scheme is 27-year-old Azhar Hussain, from Pakistan. Dr Hussain, who trained at Mayo Hospital in Lahore, is based primarily with the gastroenteritis team.

He said: “I am very grateful to Hywel Dda University Health Board for investing so robustly into this training scheme, which will give each of us invaluable portfolio experience over the two years. I don’t think any other hospital in the UK is doing this and I must say the whole experience – from the induction to the teaching and support with settling into the UK – has been excellent.

“The whole multi-disciplinary team at Withybush Hospital have been very patient and helpful with us. I would particularly like to mention the pharmacy department who have gone out of their way to assist us with protocols, my educational mentor Dr Faiz Ali who has taken such a personal interest in my wellbeing, Dr Chris James who has given much of his time to the clinical fellows on a daily basis, Erika Cowie and Tracy Sandell from Medical Education for setting up everything for our in-hospital simulation training sessions, and the entire medical, nursing, HR and Post Graduate support teams.”

Dr Hussain and his wife are settling well into the Haverfordwest area and have enjoyed seeing some of the local beauty spots and sites of interest.

“I must admit the weather hasn’t been the most co-operative,” said Dr Hussain. “I was working with the out-of-hours GPs the other evening when storm Barney hit and the winds shook the car as we passed over the Cleddau Bridge.”

Chief Executive Steve Moore recently met with Dr Htoo, Dr Hussain and others employed as part of the programme. He said: “Last summer we were faced with a great challenge and we put huge effort into finding a solution that would work for our area. It has been great to hear first-hand how this training is benefiting these doctors, whilst also contributing to our ability to sustain healthcare services for our population.

“We don’t underestimate the ongoing challenges with recruitment in medical and nursing staff, but this scheme is part of what we are doing proactively to adapt to the environment in which we operate.”

News

Pembrokeshire loses out as Labour ‘rewards its heartlands’

Published

6 hours ago

December 11, 2024

Jon Coles

THE HEADLINE figure is an average rise in Welsh local authority budgets by 4.3%. Every Welsh rural council got less than that.

From Monmouthshire in the east to Anglesey in the north to Pembrokeshire in the west, the funding bonanza trumpeted by the Welsh Government as part of the best financial settlement since devolution turned into a damp, wet fart. No rural authority got the average settlement; only Carmarthenshire came close with a 4.1 increase. Meanwhile, Labour councils in the Valleys and metropolitan areas all experienced above-average rises in Welsh Government funding.

**Not impressed: Pembrokeshire’s Sam Kurtz MS has blasted the Welsh Government**

Local MS Sam Kurtz said, “It’s clear that the Welsh Labour Government is looking after their heartlands first and foremost as we run up to the Senedd election and is ignoring the needs of others.

“Delivering services in rural areas costs more; it’s the rural premium, but for the Welsh Labour Government to ignore this shows them at their worst.

“Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire county councils are asked to do more and more. It’s only right that they are supported correctly to deliver those services. Sadly, this provisional settlement falls well short of what is required.”

WG “TAKING PEMBROKESHIRE PUBLIC FOR FOOLS”

***County Councillor Aled Thomas JP says Labour is taking the Pembrokeshire public for fools***

Pembrokeshire Conservative county councillor Aled Thomas said: “Labour is taking the Pembrokeshire public for fools, claiming that today’s announcement is good for Pembrokeshire when the reality is that our rural communities are being left behind once again.

“Labour is giving with one hand and taking away with the other, with a significant proportion of this additional money already spent on increased national insurance contributions.

“Pembrokeshire’s Labour cabinet member for finance must now commit that this money will be spent on core services and not wasted on vanity projects as we have seen time and again in the county.”

Whether Josh Beynon, Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance, rises to that challenge remains to be seen. Our request for a response to the Welsh Government’s funding settlement for Pembrokeshire was refused.

SETTLEMENT SHOWS WHERE LOYALTIES LIE

The Independent Group was not as shy.

“The Welsh Government settlement lays bare where their true loyalties lie and the battleground for Senedd 2026 where Labour will concentrate their resources on protecting their established strongholds at all costs. “They may deny it, but that’s the appearance with healthier WG settlements of above 5% for Cardiff, Newport and Merthyr compared to 3.6% for Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Anglesey and even less for Gwynedd at 3.2%. Inflation is currently at 2.3%, meaning the real increase for Pembrokeshire is around 1.3%, and higher inflation over the next few months will erode the value of this settlement further.

“Furthermore, all local authorities are currently having to accept the consequence of the Chancellor’s rise of National Insurance, with Mark Drakeford revealing that there will be no decision from the UK government on NI compensation for public sector employers until May 2025, meaning much of the additional AEF will have already been swallowed up, a decision that needs to be taken sooner rather than later many would suggest.”

CONSULTATION UNDERWAY

The Independent Group spokesperson continued: “Today launches six weeks of formal consultation on the settlement for 2024-25, ending on Friday, January 24, 2025.

“We hope that the current administration will use this process to articulate the concerns of many, that the settlement is not sufficient to cover the financial pressure faced by Pembrokeshire and argue for additional support, even if targeted towards areas of significant concern such as Social Care.

“The reality for us in Pembrokeshire is that providing the services our residents expect and rightly deserve has just become a lot more difficult with this settlement, which can only be described as disappointing.

“As a direct result of this AEF settlement, we will inevitably face a higher than wished-for Council Tax rise in April 2025, and much of the responsibility will sit with Cardiff.

“Pembrokeshire has the joint highest second home council tax in Wales, and we will almost certainly increase the level of tax on empty homes. Many of us in County Hall cannot be accused of shirking tough decisions that best serve our residents.

“We have significant Social Care pressures, which is a common theme across all Welsh local authorities. We have many schools falling into deficit, with Ysgol y Preseli, Milford Haven & Greenhill in dire need of a total overhaul to provide the facilities our young deserve. We hope that the Welsh Government will see fit to allocate Pembrokeshire a generous element of the £1.04bn for the capital grant they have provisionally allocated in this settlement for all of Wales. The continuation of the 40% business relief for tourism, hospitality and leisure businesses is welcomed for an industry that employs 23% of our working population.

COUNCIL TAX AFFORDABILITY CRUCIAL

“The Independent Group will focus on the need to protect essential services whilst addressing the ability of hard-pressed households to afford further Council Tax rises next April.

“In a week when the local authority, partner agencies, and many volunteers have stood up to Storm Darragh’s challenges, the least our residents deserved was more bad news with today’s Welsh Government settlement for Pembrokeshire.

“Storm Darragh’s impact highlighted the need for careful management of Council reserves. Using up reserves cannot continue year on year. Therefore, any proposal for their future use must be carefully considered before we can support it. Once used, these reserves are not available for future eventualities.

“Without additional support, this settlement will result in even higher Council tax bills in four months.”

The spokesperson concluded: “As the largest opposition group within County Hall, we will hold this administration to account in the forthcoming weeks and months prior to setting the Council Tax for 2025/26. We will be critical friends in this task and will not shirk from asking difficult questions.”

Crime

Dozens of alleged litter offenders to face court in Haverfordwest

Published

13 hours ago

December 11, 2024

Tom Sinclair

HAVERFORDWEST MAGISTRATES’ COURT will hear a series of littering cases tomorrow, with individuals from across Pembrokeshire and beyond accused of offences under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The cases primarily involve cigarette butts being dropped and left in public spaces, with locations spanning Pembroke Dock, Haverfordwest, Tenby, Milford Haven, and other towns.

The following individuals are set to appear:

Nathan Abbott, 30, of Hakin, Milford Haven
Alex Austin, 49, of Malvern, Worcestershire
Tim Benfan, 36, of Rugby, Warwickshire
Anthony Bevan, 39, of Pembroke
Melissa Bevan, 43, of Pembroke
Arron Bridges, 23, of Crundale, Haverfordwest
Daniel Brooks, 38, of Tenby
Dale Brown, 38, of Milford Haven
Stephen Charkes, 62, of Llanelli
John Cotton, 60, of Ledbury, Herefordshire
Chaves De Oliveria, 24, of London
James William Gwyn Dewhurst, 38, of Haverfordwest
Kevin Filer, 66, of Milford Haven
Barry Frost, 64, of Bradford, West Yorkshire
Andrew Griffiths, 41, of Aberdare
Robert Jeffrey Hamblin, 42, of Pembroke
Victoria Hodgson, 34, of Pembroke
Gerald Maddocks, 40, of Haverfordwest
Deana Sophia Mead, 31, of Milford Haven
Jacqueline Niblett, 63, of Hengoed
Micheal Raymond, 55, of Cowbridge
Shaun Tuxker, 38, of Haverfordwest
Liam Unsworth, 27, of Narberth
Shaun Manche, 41, of Milford Haven
Chelsea McLaren, 29, of Narberth
Marian Radoi, 40, of Haverfordwest
Leah Reynolds, 31, of Haverfordwest
James Stewart, 44, of Pembroke Dock
Andrew Stokes, 53, of Stourport-on-Severn
Nicola Wilkins, 48, of Swansea
Rhys R Williams, 24, of Tonyrefail
Ryan Williams, 45, of Swansea
John Wright, 41, of Pembroke Dock

Each case involves allegations of littering, primarily cigarette butts, in public places such as streets, car parks, and parks across Pembrokeshire. Offenders face maximum penalties of up to £2,500 under Section 87 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Authorities hope these proceedings will serve as a reminder to the public about the importance of maintaining clean and litter-free communities.

Pictured: Litter enforcement officer in Haverfordwest (Image: File)

News

A475 closed as fire crews respond to west Wales house blaze

Published

14 hours ago

December 11, 2024

Tom Sinclair

EMERGENCY SERVICES are tackling a property fire in Ceredigion, prompting the closure of the A475 Drefach-Rhydowen road.

Dyfed-Powys Police have shut the road between the B4338 (Llanybydder turn-off) and the B4459 (Capel Dewi turn-off) to safeguard the public. Motorists are being urged to avoid the area and use alternative routes.

A police statement shared on Facebook said: “The road is currently closed due to an incident. Please avoid the area and find alternative routes for your journey.”

The Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service and the Wales Ambulance Service are on the scene, responding to the incident. Authorities were alerted to the blaze shortly after 2:00pm.

AA Traffic reports indicate significant delays in both directions due to the closure. Drivers are advised to plan ahead and expect delays.

Further updates will follow as the situation develops.

(Image: File)