Health

‘Parking fine or miss my appointment’ say patients pressure mounts at hospitals

Published

3 months ago

January 29, 2026

From sleeping on chairs to parking fines, patients say everyday barriers are pushing the NHS to breaking point

PATIENTS across West Wales are describing a health service under such strain that some say they now expect to be penalised simply for trying to access care.

At Glangwili Hospital, stories of patients sleeping on chairs for days due to a lack of beds have been accompanied by growing frustration over issues that begin long before anyone reaches a ward — including parking, access, and the sheer difficulty of getting through the hospital doors.

One disabled patient said they had resigned themselves to receiving a £25 parking fine in order to attend hospital appointments.

“I now accept I will be fined,” they said. “Parking is impossible, but it’s that or miss my appointment. I am too disabled to park miles away and the disabled spaces are always full.”

Others have described spending days in A&E or side rooms, unable to lie down, while waiting for a bed to become available. One patient admitted on New Year’s Day with pneumonia said they slept in a chair for four nights without a pillow or blanket before being moved, only to later discover they also had flu and should have been isolated sooner.

Across social media and in correspondence with the Herald, patients and families repeatedly stress that frontline NHS staff are not to blame — instead pointing to a system that they say is buckling under years of structural strain.

Glangwili, the largest hospital managed by Hywel Dda University Health Board, serves Carmarthenshire and is home to the county’s only accident and emergency department following the closure of A&E at Prince Philip Hospital. That closure, along with reductions in services elsewhere, is frequently cited by patients as a turning point.

Several people said the loss of local A&E and cottage hospitals has forced more patients into already stretched units, increasing ambulance reliance and long-distance travel — particularly difficult in a largely rural region.

Further west, uncertainty over services at Withybush Hospital continues to fuel anxiety, especially given the scale of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) identified across the site.

Hywel Dda has acknowledged that almost 90% of Withybush is affected by RAAC, while Glangwili itself is the oldest acute hospital in Wales. The health board says more than £50 million has been spent on the two hospitals in recent years, largely to address critical safety and infrastructure risks rather than expand capacity.

Patients, however, question where that money is felt on the ground.

Some have criticised NHS procurement and management structures, while others point to social care as the missing piece. Repeated comments highlight the lack of care packages and closed care homes, which many believe are leaving medically fit patients unable to be discharged — effectively blocking beds and creating bottlenecks throughout the system.

“There’s nowhere for people to go,” one reader said. “Until social care is sorted, nothing will change.”

Concerns have also been raised about staff morale, with some alleging bullying cultures and burnout contributing to recruitment and retention problems. Again, blame is consistently directed upward rather than at nurses, doctors or porters.

Behind it all looms the long-promised new ‘super hospital’ for Carmarthenshire — first discussed in 2006 and formally launched in 2018. Eight years on, construction has yet to begin, and public confidence in the project is fading.

While Hywel Dda and the Welsh Government insist improvements are under way — including additional funding to expand capacity at Glangwili and improvements to patient experience — many patients say their reality feels far removed from official assurances.

For those attending appointments, sleeping in chairs, or weighing up a parking fine against missing care, the crisis is no longer abstract.

“It’s not politics,” one patient said. “It’s whether you get treated — and how.”

Health

Turkish dental clinic to hold Haverfordwest meet-up

Published

1 day ago

April 29, 2026

Staff Writer

DENTISTS FROM ANTALYA TO VISIT COUNTY TOWN

A TURKISH dental clinic is running a dental meet-up in Haverfordwest this weekend as part of a promotional visit to Wales.

Unique Smile Turkey, which has a permanent office in Wales in Swansea, says its top dentists will be coming to Haverfordwest on Sunday (May 3).

The event is being advertised as a “Dental Meet-Up” and is scheduled to run from 10:00am to 6:00pm at the Mariners Hotel.

The visit features three clinicians: Assoc Prof Dr Ummuhan Tozoglu, described as a specialist in oral diagnosis, radiology and dental planning; Professor Dr Sinan Tozoglu, described as an oral and maxillofacial surgeon and implantologist; and Professor Dr Ismet Duran, described as a periodontologist and implantologist.

The team have between twenty and 35 years of experience in their respective fields.

A contact number has also been provided for enquiries: +90 505 678 90 90.

The visit comes amid continuing interest in dental tourism, with many people in the UK looking overseas for cosmetic dentistry, implants and other private dental treatment.

Turkey has become one of the most popular destinations for such treatment, although patients are generally urged to make careful checks before committing to any procedure abroad, including aftercare arrangements, qualifications, insurance, treatment plans and what support would be available if complications arise after returning home.

Health

Welsh public backs urgent action on dementia ahead of Senedd elections

Published

3 days ago

April 28, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Calls grow for diagnosis, care and support to become national priority

NEW figures reveal overwhelming public demand for dementia to be placed at the top of Wales’ political agenda, with voters urging action on diagnosis, treatment and support ahead of the Senedd elections.

Research by Alzheimer’s Society Cymru shows that 83% of people in Wales want dementia made a healthcare priority, while 69% believe it is currently overlooked and underfunded.

More than a thousand adults were surveyed, with the findings highlighting growing concern over diagnosis rates and access to care. Wales continues to record some of the lowest dementia diagnosis rates in the UK, leaving thousands of families without clarity or support.

Around 51,000 people are currently living with dementia in Wales, a figure expected to rise to 70,000 by 2040. Despite this, only 57% of people have received a formal diagnosis, with rates falling as low as 48% in rural areas such as Powys.

Improving diagnosis remains a key concern, with 91% of those surveyed saying access to timely diagnosis must improve, and 87% backing increased investment in diagnostic services. However, respondents also stressed that diagnosis alone is not enough, with 91% saying people with dementia must receive better support, including help for unpaid carers.

Ceri Parry, from Cardiff, said she was forced to retire early from her role as a headteacher at the age of 55 due to a lack of support for her mother, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2020.

She said: “I fully support improving early and accurate diagnosis, but this must also come with improved support and care for families afterwards. There’s five years between my relatives’ diagnoses and nothing changed. On both occasions we left with a leaflet and the unknown.

“The wait for improved diagnosis, treatment and support needs to end. Dementia must be a top priority for the next Welsh Government, for families living with it now and for those who will face it in the future.

“We also found there was no diagnosis assessment available in the Welsh language. That’s a fundamental issue if a diagnosis is to be accurate and safe for people who speak Welsh as their first language. Ignoring someone’s identity is ignoring the person.”

The survey also found that visible action would be key to restoring public confidence, with 72% calling for improved dementia services, 64% backing more funding for research, and 63% wanting better access to treatments.

Gemma Roberts, National Influencing Manager at Alzheimer’s Society Cymru, said: “Dementia is Wales’s biggest killer and one of the greatest health and social care challenges we face.

“Hope is on the horizon with new treatments and faster, more accurate diagnosis, but the system is not keeping pace. Without urgent transformation, people in Wales risk missing out.

“We are at a turning point. The next Welsh Government must deliver a bold new dementia strategy that transforms diagnosis and ensures access to quality care, treatments and support.”

Health

Dentists warn next Welsh Government must act to save NHS dentistry

Published

7 days ago

April 24, 2026

Tom Sinclair

DENTISTS have warned that NHS dentistry in Wales is at a “make or break” point, with access to treatment now ranking as one of the biggest local concerns for voters ahead of the Senedd election.

The British Dental Association said new polling by YouGov showed local dentistry services were now a top doorstep issue in Wales, with 30% of adults naming it as one of the most important issues in their local area.

That places dentistry ahead of crime and education, both on 14%, and above job opportunities, which were cited by 27% of respondents.

The poll also found that 79% of people in Wales believe the Welsh Government should be doing more to improve NHS dentistry, while only 11% think ministers are doing all they reasonably can.

According to the BDA, unmet need for NHS dentistry now stands at around a third of the adult population in Wales. One in five people said they had tried but failed to get an NHS dental appointment in the past two years, while a further 13% said they had not tried because they assumed they would be unable to secure one.

The professional body said the figures suggest Wales may now be the worst place in Britain to be an NHS dental patient.

The warning comes after controversial dental reforms were introduced in Wales on April 1. The BDA says the changes were forced through without proper testing and have already led some practices to return NHS contracts or reduce their NHS commitment.

It is calling for a “safety net” for struggling practices, including a pause on implementation until 2027 while further improvements are worked up.

The association is also calling for a break from what it describes as chronic underfunding, better protection for vulnerable patients, and a change of tone from the next Welsh Government.

Russell Gidney, Chair of the BDA’s Welsh General Dental Practice Committee, said: “NHS dentistry in Wales was already in crisis, and without decisive action things are set to go from bad to worse.

“Untested reforms have already seen many dentists walk away from the NHS. Whoever forms the next government will need a plan to guarantee the future of this service.

“For voters facing access and cost of living crises dentistry matters. Political choices mean it is now a real concern on the doorstep – polling ahead of crime, education and even jobs as a top-flight issue facing Wales.

“Our message to all candidates and all parties is very clear: dentistry is on the ballot paper in this election. And the public will measure how you choose to respond.

“This is a service millions of voters depend on. Meaningful action will be rewarded. Complacency will be punished.”

The Welsh Government has defended its reforms, saying the new contract is designed to “make NHS dentistry more accessible, fairer and sustainable,” with a stronger focus on prevention and prioritising patients based on clinical need.

The YouGov survey of 1,092 Welsh adults was carried out between February 2 and February 9, 2026.