A CALL for potentially life-saving EpiPens to become a part of school equipment in Pembrokeshire will be considered by senior councillors in 2026.

In a notice of motion heard at the December meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council, Independent Group leader Cllr Huw Murphy asked the council adopt a policy for Epi-pens to become part of school first aid equipment.

Emergency adrenaline auto-injectors, commonly known as EpiPens, are commonly used in the emergency treatment of Anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction that can be life-threatening.

Cllr Murphy, in his notice of motion, asked that “Pembrokeshire County Council work with all schools to develop a policy where all schools hold epi-pens as part of their first aid equipment”.

It added: “PCC can negotiate on behalf of our schools with the suppliers of such equipment to achieve best value through bulk purchasing. The immediate availability of epi-pens in an emergency involving a pupil on school premises has the potential reduce the risk of a tragic outcome.

“As some background in relation to this NoM is that the April 2025 meeting of the Schools O&S Committee debated the subject of epi-pens.

“The current policy from Welsh Government states that it’s a matter for individual School Governing bodies to decide whether to stock epi-pens for use in an emergency should a pupil suffer anaphylactic shock, and should they wish to purchase epi-pens then each school does this on an individual basis.

“The Schools O&S Committee in April 2025 resolved to write to Welsh Government (WG) to highlight the epi-pens issue, which the Chair of the Schools O&S did. Since April 2025 the Schools O&S Committee have received no update from WG and a period of nearly eight months has elapsed.

“The safety and well-being of pupils is a matter of priority and in view of the lack of response (I would argue lamentably so) from WG I feel PCC should proceed to develop our own policy to ensure that every LA school in Pembrokeshire hold epi-pens for use in an emergency, hence this NoM.”

Members agreed Cllr Murphy’s notice be sent to the council’s Cabinet, whose next meeting takes place in 2026, for further consideration.

PATIENTS are being advised to check opening hours carefully as changes come into force for urgent care and walk-in health services over the Christmas and New Year period.

Hywel Dda University Health Board has confirmed that the Same Day Urgent Care (SDUC) service at Cardigan Integrated Care Centre and the nurse-led walk-in service at Tenby Hospital will be closed on key bank holidays.

Cardigan urgent care changes
The SDUC service at Cardigan Integrated Care Centre will be closed on Christmas Day (Thursday, Dec 25), Boxing Day (Friday, Dec 26) and New Year’s Day (Thursday, Jan 1).

To support patients during the festive period, the service will instead open on Saturday (Dec 27) and Sunday (Dec 28) from 9.00am to 4.30pm.

Outside of the holiday period, the SDUC service normally operates Monday to Friday from 8.00am to 6.00pm.

Patients are reminded that they must phone ahead to speak to the SDUC triage nurse before attending by calling 01239 807019.

Tenby walk-in service closures
The nurse-led walk-in service at Tenby Hospital will also be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

The service usually operates Monday to Friday between 10.00am and 5.00pm.

Hospitals remain open
Health officials have confirmed that minor injury units at Bronglais, Glangwili, Prince Philip and Withybush hospitals will remain open every day throughout the festive period.

Patients are encouraged to check opening times and directions for their nearest unit via the Hywel Dda University Health Board website.

Advice for patients
Members of the public who need medical help and are unsure where to go are advised to visit 111.wales.nhs.uk or call NHS 111 for guidance.

The health board thanked residents for their understanding and wished everyone a safe and happy Christmas.

MORE than nine in ten care services in Wales have achieved high standards under a new ratings system introduced earlier this year, according to figures published by the Welsh Government.

In the first seven months since the system was introduced in April, Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) carried out 578 inspections of care homes and domiciliary support services, with ratings published for 566 of them.

The system assesses services across four key areas — wellbeing, leadership and management, care and support, and environment — with individual ratings issued for each theme rather than a single overall score.

Between April and October 2025, CIW awarded a total of 2,115 ratings. Of these, 1,958 — representing 92.5% — were judged to be either “excellent” or “good”, presenting what the Welsh Government described as a consistently positive picture of care provision across Wales.

Ministers say the ratings are designed to support continuous improvement within the care sector while helping families better understand the quality of care being provided.

The system has also been welcomed by providers, with feedback suggesting the inspection process is thorough, transparent and focused on supporting services to improve.

The Minister for Children and Social Care, Dawn Bowden said: “These results demonstrate the exceptional dedication and professionalism of care providers across Wales.

“It’s positive to see over nine in ten ratings show our services are delivering excellent or good care to some of our most vulnerable people.

“The new ratings system provides transparency and clarity for families making important decisions about care, while also highlighting areas of excellence and encouraging the sector to continue improving.”

Chief Inspector of Care Inspectorate Wales, Gillian Baranski added: “I am incredibly proud of what these ratings reveal about care in Wales.

“These results are a testament to the dedication of care staff across the country who make a real difference to people’s lives every day.

“The new ratings system is designed to recognise excellence while also supporting services to improve, and we remain committed to working alongside providers to help deliver the high-quality care people in Wales deserve.”