TOP Hywel Dda health board officials are turning a blind eye to its escalating health care failings despite pocketing six-figure salaries.

So says Mid and South Pembrokeshire MP Henry Tufnell who is calling for an urgent meeting with Hywel Dda’s chief executive, Phil Kloer.

“The Hywel Dda Health Board needs to recognise that there’s a problem with health care outcomes and care delivery, but what is it going to take for them to recognise that?” Henry Tufnell commented this week.

His comments followed an in-depth survey of 1,000 people living in Pembrokeshire which confirmed that a staggering 62% have to wait more than a week for a GP appointment.  43% have cited a lack of available appointments as their biggest challenge, while no fewer than 87% claim healthcare services have worsened in recent years.

“But it’s the real stories that show the scale of the crisis,” continued Henry Tufnell.

“I know of a cancer diagnosis that has been delayed by over a year, while ambulance waiting times can be more than 13 hours, even for urgent cases.  Critical care needs are going unmet and this is forcing patients to seek private treatment.”

Tufnell has now submitted a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to Hywel Dda University Health Board demanding greater transparency on waiting times, service provision and a plan strategy to fix the crisis.

“Despite all the latest evidence, in addition to everything we gathered during the election campaign, there’s still no acceptance by the Board that there’s a problem,” he said.

“But it’s their responsibility to deliver health care within this county, and they’re failing.  The management is failing us here in Pembrokeshire and there’s a complete lack of transparency and accountability.  All these people sitting in management roles are being paid huge amounts of money, some bringing in six figure salaries.  But they’re failing.”

Mr Tufnell has now requested an urgent meeting with Hywel Dda chief executive Phil Kloer which is expected to take place on February 14.

TEN inspirational women are set to tackle the iconic National Three Peaks Challenge on June 7, 2025, to raise vital funds for PATH – Pembrokeshire Action for the Homeless.

Motivated by the support they received through free counselling provided by Pathway Counselling, these women are embarking on this ambitious challenge to help fund mental health services offered by the charity.

The gruelling challenge, organised by Lucy Brazier with the support of Aspire Fitness and Charlotte Neill, will see the group climb the three highest peaks in the UK – Ben Nevis in Scotland (1,345m), Scafell Pike in England (978m), and Snowdon in Wales (1,085m) – all within a 24-hour timeframe. In total, the event involves 23 miles of walking and 450 miles of driving between the mountains.

Lucy Brazier, the organiser, expressed the group’s determination to succeed in this challenge, stating: “We are doing this to give back to the services that helped us through difficult times. Mental health support is crucial, and we hope our efforts will make a difference to others who need help.”

The challenge is not just a test of physical endurance but also a significant fundraising effort. Donations can be made through the group’s JustGiving page at www.justgiving.com/page/nationalthreepeaks.

PATH has been instrumental in supporting individuals struggling with homelessness and mental health issues across Pembrokeshire. The funds raised will ensure the continuation of essential services that positively impact lives.

The team is calling on the community to rally behind them and support their mission. Every donation, no matter how small, will help them reach their goal and make a difference.

For more updates on the challenge and to show your support, visit the JustGiving page and follow PATH’s social media channels.

PLAID CYMRU has called for action to tackle the NHS backlog, accusing Labour of “utterly failing” and leaving more than 620,000 people languishing on long waiting lists.

Mabon ap Gwynfor, the party’s shadow health secretary, warned waiting lists have hit record highs in every month since March, including each month of the First Minister’s time in office.

He said: “And what’s been the response of this [Welsh] Government? Firstly, to blame everybody else: blame the patients, blame health managers, blame royal colleges, blame everybody and deny responsibility.

“After 25 years of governing, they decided to go on a listening exercise and hear people telling them what they should have known years ago.

“Then, each month leading up to Christmas, a new strategy was put in place, and each month, the numbers on waiting lists were increasing.”

Leading a Plaid Cymru debate, Mr ap Gwynfor pointed to his party’s five-point plan to tackle NHS waiting lists which was unveiled this week.

His colleague Sioned Williams raised the “alarming” rise of the use of private health care, warning deep-rooted inequalities are becoming increasingly stark.

Accusing Labour of eroding Aneurin Bevan’s vision for the NHS, she said statistics show a 77% rise in admissions to private hospitals in Wales over five years.

Ms Williams added: “58% of Welsh people have either accessed private health care or know friends or family who have done so, which is higher than the UK average.”

Llŷr Gruffydd, a fellow Plaid Cymru Senedd Member, said: “Now, the situation in north Wales, in my region, is frightening, if I’m honest…. There is a whole generation of children and young people with conditions such as ADHD and autism being let down.”

James Evans, the Conservatives’ shadow health secretary, warned the NHS is in crisis, with more than 23,000 people waiting at least two years for treatment.

“This isn’t just inefficiency,” he said. “It’s a symptom of a deeper problem and the chronic underfunding and neglect of our social care system.”

Mr Evans called for an independent review of NHS Wales to “fix a system that has been broken by years of Labour mismanagement”.

Russell George, who chairs the Senedd’s health committee, raised concerns about Powys health board’s “ridiculous” proposals to balance its books.

The Tory said: “In Shrewsbury or Telford hospital, a Welsh patient could be sitting talking to a consultant and the consultant tells them, ‘We’ve got capacity to see you. We would see you if you were an English patient but we’re not able to because Powys is not able to pay.’”

Labour’s Buffy Williams said years of chronic underfunding from successive Conservative UK Governments has been catastrophic for the Welsh NHS.

Jeremy Miles, who was appointed health secretary in September, pointed to signs of progress on the Welsh Government’s priority of reducing the longest waiting times.

He told the Senedd the number of people waiting more than two years has reduced by two thirds since 2022, with 3% waiting at least two years compared with 10% at the peak.

Mr Miles said: “The health service is making progress despite the increasing demands upon it but there is much more to be done in order to ensure that people are treated sooner.”

Following the debate on January 15, Senedd Members voted 39-11 against the Plaid Cymru motion before the Welsh Government’s amended version was agreed, 26-24.