News

Health chair speaks out

Published

11 years ago

November 21, 2014

Tom Sinclair

• The Board must communicate with the people
• ‘There WILL be a Chemotherapy Day Unit at Withybush’
• ‘Ward 10 is not closing’

Health Board Chair Bernadine Rees: Says Ward 10 is not closing

IN A WIDE-RANGING interview with The Pembrokeshire Herald Assistant Editor Jon Coles, Health Board Chair Bernadine Rees spoke candidly about the challenges facing the Board in Pembrokeshire and beyond. Ms Rees began by addressing last week’s front page story, which she was concerned had implied Ward 10, the cancer care ward, had closed. Ms Rees was adamant that Ward 10 remained open to offer the same range of cancer care as previously: “I am from Pembrokeshire. I use services across all three counties served by the Health Board.

Make no mistake, we are committed to delivering a model of service that works for all people across the Health Board area. My first clinical experience was at Withybush Hospital in intensive care. But over the years that have passed since that experience, how we deliver care has changed.” Asked about the patient experience of health care, Ms Rees was direct: “Patients will not experience any change in the care they receive.

The core services at Withybush will remain the same. But we have to acknowledge that patients, people generally, are a lot more mobile than they were in the past. As I said above, since my first clinical experience at Withybush, methods of delivering care have changed and so have the ways in which people access it. The Board cannot stand still. The Health Board has to recognize that the way in which care is delivered has moved on.

We must ensure we deliver the best care possible across the whole of the Health Board.” Bernadine Rees revealed that the new service model developed for paediatric care at Withybush provided for on-site care at Withybush to run from 10am in the morning to 10pm at night, supported by 24 hour Accident and Emergency care. We put the problem the Board had with perceptions that it had failed to communicate its plans fully in the past. While declining to comment on past practice, Bernadine Rees said: “We must ensure that good news gets out.

I am concerned that we need to be given the chance to respond to stories in the press and that we work with the press in a much more proactive way. People must have confidence that the decisions we are making are based on evidence and we will work hard to make that evidence available so people can see the reasons behind our decisions. We will be sending more information out so that people know what changes we are making and why we are making them.”

She went on to explain: “I was personally disappointed to find that perhaps the Board has not been as effective communicating with those involved in cancer charities as I would have hoped. We remain committed to working with them to deliver the best possible service for cancer patients and their families in Pembrokeshire.” She confirmed: “Let me be clear: Ward 10 is not closing. We will build a chemotherapy day unit at Withybush.”

After the interview, The Herald received a press statement from the Board in which Dr Sian Lewis, Acute Services, Clinical Director said: “It is important that patients, their families and the general public understand that we continue to provide cancer services at Withybush Hospital. We have had to change the way we provide in-patient care because of problems in recruitment of a suitably trained oncologist.

This means that patients will be admitted under the care of general physicians with the support of specialist oncologist rather than directly under an oncologist. This is the usual model of care in district general hospitals throughout the UK. This change has happened because our recently appointed a locum consultant oncologist left on the 19th of September.

We have re-advertised and continue to work with recruitment agencies however there are currently more than 30 consultant oncologist vacancies across the UK and recruitment is a significant challenge. The new model of care will enable us to maintain in-patient services locally and for certain complications of cancer therapy, should improve the way we deliver care. Importantly, out-patient and chemotherapy services remain unchanged.”

Crime

Haverfordwest man sent to Crown Court on multiple serious charges

Published

2 minutes ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

Defendant remanded in custody

A HAVERFORDWEST man has been sent to Swansea Crown Court to stand trial on a series of serious allegations following his appearance in the latest magistrates’ court register.

David Guy, 49, of Market Street, Haverfordwest, appeared in court facing multiple charges, all of which have now been deemed too serious for summary trial.

Multiple charges listed in register

The new magistrates’ register shows Guy charged with several offences arising from the same case file. Although individual charge descriptions were not expanded in open court, the register confirms the allegations include:

Assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH)
A second assault charge
Criminal damage
A further interpersonal violence allegation
A public order offence

All entries relate to the same incident and prosecution reference, presented as a multi-count case.

Defendant remanded into custody

Magistrates ruled that their sentencing powers were insufficient and sent the entire case to Swansea Crown Court for trial.

Guy was remanded in custody, with the register stating: “Sent to Crown Court for trial in custody – next hearing at Swansea Crown Court.”

A hearing date will now be fixed administratively by the Crown Court. Until then, Guy remains remanded.

The Herald will provide updates once the Crown Court listing is confirmed.

Crime

Castlemartin man back before magistrates over multiple alleged assaults

Published

8 minutes ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

Defendant remanded on conditional bail ahead of further hearing

A CASTLEMARTIN man has appeared repeatedly before magistrates this month over a string of alleged offences including assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH), non-fatal strangulation, common assault, and criminal damage.

Anthony Alcock, 40, of Pwll Street, Castlemartin, faces six linked charges arising from incidents reported to have taken place earlier this year. Alcock, who did not enter pleas during the administrative hearings, appeared on several occasions as the court dealt with bail issues and case management.

Multiple assault allegations
The charges listed before magistrates include:
Assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH)
Intentional strangulation
Common assault of a woman
Criminal damage relating to a domestic incident
Further assault allegations linked to the same complainant
A breach of bail conditions

The court heard that Alcock had previously been granted conditional bail. However, he was brought back before magistrates twice during the same reporting period for alleged breaches of those conditions, resulting in updated bail decisions.

Bail breached — defendant remanded

On two separate entries in the court register, Alcock was listed as having breached his bail, leading magistrates to remand him into custody pending the next hearing. On other dates within the same week, he was again re-released on conditional bail, with strict terms imposed, including restrictions on contact with the complainant and exclusions from certain locations.

He is now remanded on conditional bail with his next appearance set for Swansea Crown Court, where the more serious matters — including the alleged non-fatal strangulation — will be dealt with.

Case sent to Crown Court

Magistrates directed that the case is too serious to be heard locally and must proceed to the Crown Court for trial or sentence.

The Herald understands that all listed charges fall under the same prosecution reference, indicating they form part of a single ongoing domestic abuse prosecution. No further details were opened in court at this stage.

Crime

Rogue roofer conned homeowner out of thousands

Published

25 minutes ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

Caerphilly investigation leads to court conviction

A ROGUE trader from Pembroke has been ordered to pay more than £6,000 after duping a homeowner into handing over thousands for unnecessary roofing work.

Douggie Whitbread, aged twenty-five and living at Coldwell Terrace, Pembroke, persuaded his victim that he “probably needed a new roof” before charging £4,350 for work that was either unnecessary or not carried out properly.

Whitbread admitted two counts of fraud relating to a property on Griffiths Street, Ystrad Mynach, with the offences taking place between August 12 and October 16, 2023.

He appeared before Cwmbran Magistrates’ Court, where he was ordered to pay a total of £6,130. That includes £4,350 in compensation, £1,500 in prosecution costs, a £200 fine, and an £80 victim surcharge.

The case was brought following an investigation by Caerphilly Trading Standards, who urged residents to be cautious of unsolicited offers of home maintenance work.