A CALL for an urgent meeting between Pembrokeshire’s leader and the local health board has been made after the board recently identified nine ‘fragile’ areas of service.

Late last year, Hywel Dda University Health Board stated a planned new west Wales hospital, based at either Whitland or St Clears, would not be up-and-running for at least a decade.

That scheme would see both Withybush Hospital, Haverfordwest and Glangwili Hospital, Carmarthen being ‘repurposed’, with community hubs developed.

In the meantime, the board heard services across the UK have consolidated and standards increased and Hywel Dda risks falling significantly behind other areas with consequences for patient care and staff recruitment, with work to support nine ‘fragile’ services in the interim of a new hospital already begun.

The board’s executive director of strategy and planning, Lee Davies said at the time: “In the absence of a new hospital in the south of our area to address challenges, we need to consider other options to bring together some of our services.

“We anticipate the emerging model, informed by work on the Clinical Services Plan, will seek to build on the strengths of each of the hospital sites in a way that builds complementary areas of expertise.”

At the March 6 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council, a submitted question by Cllr Alistair Cameron asked: “On November 28, 2024, Hywel Dda UHB announced that, since financial support is not secured, delivery of a new hospital (to be located in either St Clears or Whitland) is likely to be at least 10 years from now.

“In the same statement the health board stated that it risks falling significantly behind other areas [of the UK] with consequences for patient care and staff recruitment and that it has identified nine fragile services: Critical Care, Emergency General Surgery, Stroke, Endoscopy, Radiology, Dermatology, Ophthalmology, Orthopaedics and Urology.

“Could the Leader of Council seek an urgent meeting between the council and the chief executive of Hywel Dda UHB so that he can explain his strategy for safeguarding these nine fragile services which are vital to Pembrokeshire residents and what action has been taken so far?”

Responding, Leader Cllr Jon Harvey said: “I share your concern about health service provision; contact has been made with the health board with regard to a meeting, a response is awaited,” adding that a seminar for councillors on the issue was also due to be held.

GPs in Wales will have a vital role in tackling NHS waiting lists and improving patient care, Health Secretary Jeremy Miles will tell the Welsh Local Medical Committees Conference on Saturday (Mar 8).

He will say the coming year must focus on transforming healthcare delivery to ensure more treatment is available closer to home. As part of this shift, GPs will take a more active role in managing waiting lists and expanding diagnostic testing in communities to ease hospital pressures.

A new initiative aimed at improving continuity of care will begin by identifying the most vulnerable patients who would benefit from seeing the same health professional at each appointment. The approach is expected to improve outcomes for people with chronic conditions and support efforts to keep more patients well at home.

With more diagnostic and treatment services moving out of hospitals and into local settings, Miles will acknowledge that funding must follow. Health boards will be required to increase and declare primary care spending to support the shift.

GP RESPONSE

While the Welsh Government is keen to shift more responsibilities to primary care, GPs have expressed concerns about workload distribution and financial support.

In January, the BMA’s Welsh GP committee accepted a revised General Medical Services (GMS) contract, which included an additional £23 million in stabilisation payments, bringing total additional investment for 2024/25 to £52.1 million. The contract ensures fair pay for practice staff, including a 6% uplift for GP partners and salaried GPs.

Dr. Gareth Oelmann, chair of the BMA’s Welsh GP committee, said: “This settlement does not resolve every issue, but it provides a solid foundation for future negotiations.”

GPs in Wales are also set to vote on a proposal requiring partners to provide a minimum number of clinical sessions, aimed at ensuring consistent patient care across practices.

Health Secretary Jeremy Miles said: “It is vital we work together to address the pressures in our NHS by improving access to care and patient flow through the system.

“The role of GPs is fundamental to bringing the system back into balance. This is not about general medical services taking on more and more but about commissioning services in a way that makes primary care sustainable.

“GPs are at the heart of their communities. I want to work with them to develop a system that values their expertise, provides them with the right tools, and ensures patients receive the care they need closer to home.”

SUPPORTING people to reach out for help if they are struggling with self-harm or thoughts of suicide will help to save lives, the Welsh Government has said.

The Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing Sarah Murphy spoke on Friday (Mar 7) about Wales’ determination to remove the stigma of talking about and seeking help for suicide and self-harm.

She also said Wales’ new 10-year strategy to prevent suicide and self-harm, which will be published in April, will improve access to support services.

Speaking at the National Suicide Prevention and Self-Harm Conference at the Mercure Hotel in Cardiff, Sarah Murphy said: “Many people are reluctant to talk about their challenges for fear of being judged and labelled – or concern about worrying a family member or friend.

“There is still a lot of work we need to do to ensure services are available for those who need them. But if we don’t remove that initial barrier to accessing support, if we do not create that understanding and allow people to open up without fear of being stigmatised and judged, then success will forever be hindered.”

The new Suicide and Self-Harm Prevention Strategy will outline how to improve support services available to people who needed them.

The Minister said: “My aim through the strategy is a relentless focus on prevention and earlier intervention

“It’s only through working seamlessly across social services, welfare support, health and the criminal justice system will we be able to respond sooner, and with compassion, to prevent escalation to crisis point.”

As part of objectives outlined in the strategy, the Welsh Government has already announced a national advice service aimed at supporting all those affected by suicide, and new guidance for agencies and organisations.