News
“Call us and we’ll meet you there”, expectant mums will be told
HYWEL DDA UNIVERSITY HEALTH BOARD is planning to make the Midwifery Led Unit at Withybush Hospital a retained service at night, meaning expectant mums will need to call their community mid wife and arrange to meet at the hospital.
The changes are expect to take place in November.
The move comes following a fall in the number of births in Pembrokeshire since consultant led services were moved from Withybush.
Last year, a total of 3,165 babies were delivered across the health board, with 142 of those being delivered at Withybush MLU.
This was a reduction from the 189 babies delivered at the unit in 2016, and the 160 babies delivered there in 2017.
The Health Board had originally denied that the unit, which opened in 2014, would become a day service with senior management saying that they expected no reduction in service for a unit which was expected to deliver 300 babies a year.
But the plans are no need for concern say the hospital. Keith Jones, Assistant Director of Acute Services said that he did not feel that the plans were a reduction of service for expectant mums in Pembrokeshire, confirming that Midwife Led Unit at Withybush Hospital will continue to be available to women 24 hours a day.
He told The Pembrokeshire Herald: “Our proposals will allow us to deploy our midwives and support staff as effectively as possible, as the midwives currently based in the MLU will be expanded into an integrated community midwifery team.
“This will lead to improved continuity of care for women and their families throughout pregnancy, labour and the postnatal period and ensure that midwives’ time is fully utilised and matched with women’s needs.”
“Any women booked for Midwifery Led Care are continually risk assessed during their pregnancy and follow the All Wales Midwifery Led Care Guidelines and Pathways.
“The proposed model of care is well established throughout the UK both in rural and urban areas.
“Individual pathways of care are discussed with women during their pregnancy and issues such as geographical location, drive times and communications access are all considered.”
Speaking in March when rumours of the changes first started circulating, Local Assembly Member Paul Davies has responded furiously to reports that yet again Withybush Hospital will see services reduced.
He said: “If this is true then this is just another example of services at Withybush Hospital being downgraded.
“It will be yet another blow to the people of Pembrokeshire who have consistently opposed services being eroded at Withybush Hospital.
“If this takes place then it will put children’s and mothers’ lives at risk which is scandalous. The Hywel Dda University Health Board need to think again about any suggestion that services will be reduced at Withybush Hospital.
“In addition, the Welsh Government, who are ultimately responsible for health services in Wales, need to start standing up for the people of Pembrokeshire because they cannot continue to sit idly by as services continue to disappear from our hospital.”
Also, back in March, Keith Jones at the Health Board said: “Withybush Hospital Midwife Led Unit is open 24/7 and we have absolutely no plans to reduce the opening hours of this important service to the local population.
“We have been discussing the options to improve the efficiency of our staffing model by achieving a greater integration of our community-based midwives and staff based in the Midwife Led Unit.
“This will not reduce patient access to the Midwife Led Unit, which will remain open to women in Pembrokeshire 24/7.”
Stephen Crabb MP said: “Local people will be deeply dismayed by this latest development. Every appeal that has been made to Ministers at the Assembly to protect services in Pembrokeshire have come to nothing. Welsh Government in Cardiff has basically washed its hands of this issue and are sitting back while the Health Board does its dirty work of cutting local services.”
Speaking on Tuesday, Paul Davies Assembly Member for Preseli Pembrokeshire said – “Yet again the Hywel Dda University Health Board are planning to reduce services at Withybush Hospital. To suggest that changing from a 24/7 staffed unit to an on-call system overnight will give a better service is quite frankly beyond belief.
“Do the Health Board think the people of Pembrokeshire are stupid?
“An expectant mother does not want the worry of having to ring a midwife who then has to travel to Withybush Hospital if her baby is being born at night.
“40,000 people signed a petition against previous unwanted changes being proposed by the Health Board. They totally ignored this and are ploughing on with their plans to reduce Withybush Hospital to a Community Hospital against the will of the people of Pembrokeshire.”
The health board’s current proposals are simply the latest in a long string of attempts to continuously remove services at Withybush Hospital in recent years, and, to be perfectly frank, the local people are sick and tired of having to fight to maintain essential services at their local hospital.”
Crime
Three more arrested after 18-year-old dies in Gorseinon crash
Five people are now in custody following a collision involving a car and an off-road motorcycle
THREE more men have been arrested after an 18-year-old died following a collision between a car and an off-road motorcycle in Gorseinon.
South Wales Police were called to Pen Cae Crwn Road at around 12:58pm on Thursday, where the teenager, who is believed to have been from Swansea, was pronounced dead at the scene.
A second man, aged 19, was taken to hospital with injuries.
Two 18-year-old men were arrested on suspicion of murder on Thursday.
Police confirmed on Friday that a further three arrests had been made.
A 33-year-old man from Gorseinon was arrested on suspicion of murder.
A 38-year-old man from Gowerton and a 38-year-old man from Mount Pleasant were arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.
The latest arrests bring the total number of people detained in connection with the investigation to five.
Several roads in the area remained closed on Friday morning while officers continued their investigation.
Cordons had been removed from some streets, although traffic cones, road signs and police tape remained at the roadside.
Gorseinon Rugby Club chairman Ian Murphy said the local community had been left in “deep shock”.
He said: “For youngsters to get involved in a tragedy like this is shocking and disturbing, very disturbing for us all.
“Everybody was talking about it. All the roads were closed by police and ambulances, so it took a while for it to sink in what was going on.
“We were aware that there might have been a chase involving a car and a motorbike, and the full tragedy unfolded from there.”
South Wales Police has not confirmed the circumstances leading up to the collision, and enquiries remain ongoing.
Health
Hywel Dda patients waited average of 64 weeks for hip surgery
Freedom of Information figures show more than 1,600 patients remained on the health board’s hip replacement waiting list in May
PATIENTS awaiting elective hip replacement surgery under Hywel Dda University Health Board waited an average of 450 days during the 2025/26 financial year, according to newly released figures.
The average wait was equivalent to just over 64 weeks, significantly longer than the treatment times set out under Welsh NHS targets.
The figures were obtained through a Freedom of Information request submitted to the health board by private healthcare marketplace My Medical Gateway.
In Wales, the stated aim is for 95% of patients to begin treatment within 26 weeks of referral, with no patient waiting longer than 36 weeks.
Hywel Dda confirmed that 1,608 patients were on its waiting list for hip replacement surgery as of May 28, 2026.
The health board also said 16 patients had been removed from the waiting list during the 2025/26 financial year after choosing to undergo treatment privately.
Hip replacement surgery is most commonly offered to people experiencing severe pain, stiffness and reduced mobility, often after other treatments such as physiotherapy, pain relief, injections and lifestyle changes have failed to provide sufficient relief.
Sara Gezdari, Head of Investor Relations at My Medical Gateway, said prolonged waits could have a serious effect on patients’ physical and emotional wellbeing.
She said: “Many people join NHS waiting lists after already spending months or years attempting to manage their condition through physiotherapy, pain relief medication, injections and lifestyle modifications.
“By the time surgery is recommended, they are often already struggling. The true impact of waiting is measured not in weeks but in declining quality of life.”
She said patients waiting for surgery could experience increasing pain, disrupted sleep, reduced mobility, loss of independence, social isolation and worsening mental health.
Long waits could also have financial consequences, particularly for people whose employment relies on physical mobility.
Ms Gezdari added: “Many patients continue working despite severe symptoms. As pain worsens, productivity often falls. Some reduce their hours. Others leave work entirely.
“The consequences can be particularly significant for self-employed individuals who depend upon physical mobility to earn a living.”
My Medical Gateway said private hip replacement surgery in the UK typically costs between £12,549 and £14,950.
The company, which connects UK patients with private hospitals in the European Union, said the average price offered by many European providers was approximately £9,088.
However, travelling abroad for medical treatment can involve additional considerations, including travel costs, insurance, post-operative care and arrangements if complications arise.
The Freedom of Information response was returned by Hywel Dda University Health Board on June 8, 2026.
Education
Saundersfoot graduate secures teaching job before completing degree
Local school placements helped Millie Brace gain the experience and connections needed to begin her career at Templeton Primary School
A SAUNDERSFOOT student is celebrating after graduating from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David and securing a teaching job in Pembrokeshire before completing her degree.
Millie Brace graduated this week with a BA in Primary Education with Qualified Teacher Status from UWTSD’s Carmarthen campus.
She will begin her first teaching post at Templeton Primary School in September.
Millie said the opportunity to remain close to home and complete placements in Pembrokeshire schools had been a major factor in her decision to study at UWTSD.
“I chose UWTSD because it allowed me to stay close to my family and continue living at home while studying, which was important to me,” she said.
“Another key reason was the opportunity to complete local teaching placements.
“I knew how competitive teaching jobs can be in Pembrokeshire, so gaining experience in local schools was a great way to build professional connections and develop an understanding of the schools and communities I want to work in.”
Her placements allowed her to gain experience in a range of classrooms and helped her develop the confidence needed to apply for teaching roles.
“Before graduating, I was delighted to secure a teaching position at an amazing primary school in my local area,” she said.
Millie praised the support she received from university staff, school mentors and teachers during her final placement at Lamphey Primary School.
“Although I had not previously taught that particular year group, I received fantastic support from my class mentors and staff at Lamphey Primary School,” she said.
“Their knowledge and experience, combined with the research and understanding I developed through my course and assignments, greatly increased my confidence.”
Millie said the flexibility of the degree allowed her to explore subjects linked directly to her classroom experience and professional development.
“My favourite thing about the course was the flexibility of the assignments,” she said.
“They allowed me to explore topics that genuinely interested me and focus on areas that reflected my personal development targets from placements.
“This made the work feel relevant to my experiences in the classroom and helped me connect theory with practice.”
She also valued the sense of community at the Carmarthen campus and the friendships she formed with other student teachers.
“One of the biggest challenges during my studies was adapting to different placement schools and managing the increasing expectations placed on me as I progressed,” she said.
“Each school had its own routines, approaches and learning environments.
“What helped me most was the support of other student teachers. We shared resources, exchanged ideas and helped each other with lesson planning and preparation.”
Outside her studies, Millie continued to enjoy the Pembrokeshire coastline, spending her spare time paddleboarding, walking her dog and learning to surf.
She said she would recommend UWTSD to anyone considering a career in teaching.
“The course provided excellent placement opportunities, allowing me to gain valuable experience in local schools and build professional connections that helped me secure a teaching job before graduating,” she said.
“I have also made friends for life, and the relationships I built have been one of the most rewarding parts of my university experience.”
Millie will now take the next step in her career when she joins Templeton Primary School at the beginning of the new academic year.
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