News

Withybush Hospital: Health board plans for paediatric service cuts

Published

8 years ago

November 29, 2017

HYWEL DDA heath board’s announcement that its plans to transform clinical services are ‘to move to the next stage’ did not include the detail of what those plans include.

At a public board meeting held in Llandeilo on November 21, Board members approved the move to phase two (the Design Phase) of the Transforming Clinical Services (TCS) programme having considered the independent analysis report (undertaken by Opinion Research Services) on the TCS listening and engagement exercise (the Discover Phase), which concluded in September 2017.

The transformation consultation, in which the Board sought to seek public responses on proposed cuts to local services, was followed by an independent clinical review by Dr Alex Mayor.

The content of that review, while obliquely referred to in a Board press release, is not detailed.

The Herald examined the report before the board, on which it intends to engage in ‘a comprehensive programme of communication and engagement activities with [the] local population across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire next year’.

The Board has agreed to take these forward and to incorporate further planning of Women and Children’s services under the umbrella of our ‘Transforming Clinical Services’ programme.

The Board expresses the hope that the further engagement ‘will build on the success, and learning points, from the TCS listening and engagement exercise ‘the Big Conversation’.’

However the Board’s press release fails to mention what the recommendations actually are upon which it has set up a task and finish group ahead of public consultation on the decisions it intends to make.

The recommendations include the following:

No return to twelve hour care provision at Withybush for the Paediatric Ambulatory Care Unit (PACU)– ‘whilst recruitment attempts to all vacant posts should continue, transition to a consultant ‘delivered’ PACU model Monday to Friday 10am to 6pm by a single, integrated team of acute paediatric consultants should be explored and confirmed at the earliest opportunity’;
Consultant-led PACU services to be concentrated at Glangwili at weekends;
Acutely unwell children should be admitted directly to Glangwili;
Glangwili to be the centre for the whole board area for children and young people;
Elective paediatric surgery should return to Withybush;
Emergency paediatric surgery at Withybush should end.

Those recommendations are supported by the independent expert engaged by the Board confirming that many of the fears expressed by campaigners during the long – and ultimately unsuccessful – fight to retain core services at Withybush have come to fruition.

The papers considered by the Board state: ‘Dr Mayor has advised that, although well intentioned, the UHB’s desire to provide as much acute care as possible at WGH since 2014 without a comprehensive supporting infrastructure of 24/7 paediatric, anaesthetic and A&E skills has effectively weakened the overall acute paediatric service as limited staff resources have been stretched and care pathways have become confused’.

Dr Phil Kloer, the Board’s Medical Director, said: “It is important to reassure people that, at the present time, the operating hours of the PACU at Withybush Hospital will continue to be from 10am to 6pm, seven days a week.

“We are making significant efforts to progress the development of a safe and sustainable longer term staffing model for the unit as part of the wider Transforming Clinical Services design phase and formal consultation in 2018 and we will provide further updates as this work develops.”

News

Fire crews at large house fire in Letterston as road closed

Published

43 minutes ago

April 15, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Emergency services respond in Station Road area while firefighters tackle blaze

FIRE crews are dealing with a large house fire in the Station Road area of Letterston this afternoon (Apr 15), with the road currently closed off while emergency services remain at the scene.

The Herald understands firefighters are in attendance at the property and efforts to bring the blaze under control are ongoing.

Motorists are being urged to avoid the area while the incident is dealt with.

There is currently no official word on whether anyone has been injured.

The Herald has approached the emergency services for comment.

Community

Police investigate reports of door-to-door salespeople in Milford Haven and Johnston

Published

57 minutes ago

April 15, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Residents urged to stay alert as officers carry out patrols and work to establish whether the callers are legitimate

MILFORD HAVEN and Neyland Police said they are aware of concerns raised by residents following reports of door-to-door salespeople operating in the Milford Haven and Johnston area.

Local officers, together with neighbourhood policing and prevention teams, are working to establish the legitimacy of those involved and will be carrying out patrols while enquiries continue.

In the meantime, members of the public are being advised to familiarise themselves with crime prevention advice relating to unwanted visitors, which is available on the force’s website.

Anyone with information that could assist enquiries is asked to get in touch online, by email at [email protected], by direct message on social media, or by calling 101.

In an emergency, always dial 999.

Alternatively, information can be passed anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111 or visiting its website.

News

Haverfordwest County AFC escapes winding-up order but ordered to pay costs

Published

2 hours ago

April 15, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Club avoided liquidation in case remained live until it came before a judge at the High Court in London

A WINDING-UP petition brought by HM Revenue & Customs against Haverfordwest County AFC Ltd reached the High Court in London before being dismissed on Wednesday (Apr 15).

The case was heard at 12:00pm at the Rolls Building.

Court officials later confirmed to The Herald that the petition had been dismissed, with the company ordered to pay costs.

While the dismissal means the club has avoided compulsory liquidation, the fact that the matter progressed to a High Court hearing – and resulted in a costs order against the company – underlines the seriousness of the proceedings.

Before the hearing, the club had repeatedly sought to downplay the issue. Last week, chairman Rob Edwards described the petition as “a non-story”, stating it related to “a VAT offset against PAYE that wasn’t recorded”. He insisted the matter had been rectified, that no debt was owed to HMRC, and that a request to withdraw the petition had already been submitted to the court.

***High court costs bill: Chairman Rob Edwards***

The club subsequently issued a statement claiming there was “no debt owed to HMRC” and that the petition “has been withdrawn by HMRC”.

However, HM Courts & Tribunals Service twice confirmed to The Herald prior to the hearing that the petition remained active and listed for 12:00pm on 15 April. The case remained listed until it came before the judge on Wednesday.

The imposition of a costs order is particularly notable.

It represents a formal court direction requiring Haverfordwest County AFC Ltd to meet the legal costs arising from the petition.

Thankfully, Haverfordwest County AFC has avoided the most severe outcome – a winding-up order that would have threatened the club’s future.

However, the High Court proceedings make clear that this was never a dormant or inconsequential entry on the court list. It was a live HMRC petition that required judicial attention at the Rolls Building and has now left the company with legal expenses to pay.