A NEW report has urged the Welsh Government to work more closely with voluntary organisations to ensure communities are better prepared for future emergencies.

The call comes from the Senedd’s Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee, which examined how lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic have shaped Wales’ current emergency planning.

The report highlights the crucial role played by voluntary groups during the pandemic, particularly in supporting vulnerable people and responding quickly to rising community needs.

Clair Swales, Chief Executive of the Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations (PAVO), welcomed the committee’s findings and its recommendation that government bodies strengthen collaboration with the voluntary sector and commissioning organisations.

The recommendation includes making greater use of long-term funding arrangements to support infrastructure investment and improve the sector’s ability to respond to sudden surges in demand during emergencies.

Giving evidence to the committee last November, Swales warned that continued financial pressures across the sector could weaken its ability to respond effectively in future crises.

She said: “If I was asked to bring the third sector together to respond to an emergency at this moment, I could. However, future involvement may become more challenging as the sector continues to face significant financial and capacity pressures.”

The committee’s report, published on Tuesday (Mar 11), explored how the Welsh Government and public bodies responded to the pandemic and what improvements have been made since.

It also considered findings from Module 1 of the UK COVID-19 Inquiry, which examined resilience and preparedness across the UK.

Swales said the report recognises that the work carried out by voluntary organisations during the pandemic came at a significant cost to the sector.

She added: “Evidence from a number of voluntary organisations shows the sector is facing considerable funding and resource challenges.

“We will continue to work with commissioners and the Powys third sector to maximise opportunities, represent the sector’s voice in policy and investment discussions, and ensure rural communities are considered when funding and commissioning services.”

The report has been submitted to the Welsh Government and will be debated by Members of the Senedd during a plenary session on Wednesday (Mar 18).

Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations is the County Voluntary Council for Powys and operates offices in Newtown and Llandrindod Wells.

CALLS have been made for an urgent debate in the Senedd over the future of services at Withybush Hospital as political pressure mounts ahead of the Welsh Parliament election.

Paul Davies MS and Samuel Kurtz MS have written jointly to Carolyn Thomas MS, Chair of the Senedd’s Petitions Committee, urging that a public petition concerning healthcare provision in Pembrokeshire be considered as a matter of urgency.

The petition, which has already gathered more than 10,000 signatures, raises concerns about changes to services at Withybush Hospital and calls for intervention to protect healthcare provision in the county.

Reaching the 10,000-signature threshold means the petition qualifies for consideration by the Senedd and could be recommended for debate in the chamber.

The two MSs say the issue should be discussed before the Senedd dissolves ahead of the Welsh Parliament election on May 7.

Paul Davies MS said the strength of public support highlighted deep concern among residents about the future of healthcare services in Pembrokeshire.

“Reaching 10,000 signatures demonstrates the strength of feeling across Pembrokeshire about future services at Withybush Hospital,” he said.

“Residents, clinicians and campaigners have raised serious concerns about patient safety, travel times and the cumulative impact of service changes.”

Samuel Kurtz MS said it was essential that the Welsh Government was required to respond to the concerns in a formal Senedd debate.

“Given the potential impact that the centralisation of hospital services could have on rural communities, it’s vital that this issue is debated in the Senedd before dissolution,” he said.

“People deserve the opportunity for their elected representatives to scrutinise these decisions and for the Welsh Government to respond formally on the record.”

Concerns over rural healthcare access

The future of Withybush Hospital has been a long-running issue in Pembrokeshire, with repeated campaigns over the years to protect services at the Haverfordwest site.

Previous controversies have included the loss of consultant-led maternity services and changes to paediatric provision, while more recent concerns have focused on the withdrawal of emergency general surgery.

Critics argue that moving services to larger hospitals, particularly Glangwili Hospital in Carmarthen, risks increasing travel times for patients in a largely rural county.

Campaigners say this could place additional pressure on ambulance services and potentially delay life-saving treatment.

Ajay Owen, founder of the campaign group SARS Cymru, said the petition reflected widespread anxiety across the county.

“The fact that the petition has surpassed 10,000 signatures in such a short window shows there is real concern across Pembrokeshire,” he said.

He warned that removing emergency surgery from Withybush could make it harder for patients suffering serious trauma or medical emergencies to receive treatment within the “golden hour” — the period during which rapid intervention can be critical for survival.

Campaigners argue that the combination of ambulance response times and travel distances to Carmarthen could result in some patients waiting more than an hour before reaching hospital.

Meanwhile, The Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, Jane Dodds MS said: “This decision puts patient safety at risk. In Pembrokeshire, long travel distances already make accessing urgent care difficult. Removing emergency general surgery from Withybush means that, in the most critical moments, people may simply not get the treatment they need in time.

“That is unacceptable, and we are calling on Hywel Dda to urgently reconsider.”

Sandra Jervis, the Welsh Liberal Democrat lead candidate for Ceredigion Penfro, added: “Pembrokeshire is rural, industrial and high-risk — a county where emergency services must be close at hand.

“From refinery workers to farmers to coastal communities, people deserve the reassurance that life-saving surgery is available locally. This decision undermines that reassurance and puts lives in jeopardy.”

Health board position

Hywel Dda University Health Board has previously said that service reconfiguration across west Wales is designed to improve patient outcomes by concentrating specialist staff and resources at fewer sites.

However, critics argue that centralising services risks leaving rural communities with reduced access to urgent care.

The Herald understands the Senedd’s Petitions Committee will now decide whether to fast-track consideration of the petition and recommend a debate before the Senedd breaks up ahead of the election campaign.

If approved, the issue could be discussed by Members of the Senedd in the final weeks of the current parliamentary term.

Research finds fewer than half of patients say doctors discuss diet, exercise and other changes that may slow the disease

A NEW report has warned that thousands of people living with multiple sclerosis may be missing out on advice that could help them manage the condition because lifestyle changes are not routinely discussed during medical appointments.

The report, published by the charity Overcoming MS, says many patients are not being told about evidence suggesting that diet, exercise and other lifestyle choices may play a significant role in managing symptoms and slowing disease progression.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a lifelong neurological condition affecting the brain and spinal cord. There is currently no cure, and people are often diagnosed in early adulthood, facing decades of uncertainty about how the disease may progress.

According to the report, fewer than half of people with MS say healthcare professionals discuss healthy lifestyle choices with them during appointments. The research suggests that this lack of information may leave patients feeling they have little control over their condition.

The charity’s survey also found that only around a quarter of people believe lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking, eating a healthier diet, exercising more or reducing stress would make a significant difference for those living with MS.

By contrast, two thirds of respondents said they believed lifestyle changes could significantly benefit people with heart disease.

Researchers say there is growing scientific evidence that healthy lifestyle choices can improve symptoms such as fatigue, pain and cognitive difficulties, while also supporting overall brain health and wellbeing.

The report highlights studies suggesting that factors including a high-quality diet, regular physical activity and stopping smoking may reduce the likelihood of relapses and slow disease progression in some patients.

One long-term study cited in the report found that a high-quality diet was associated with a reduction in disability progression of up to 50 per cent over seven and a half years among people living with MS.

The charity said greater awareness of these findings could help patients feel more empowered after diagnosis.

Alexandra Holden, chief executive of Overcoming MS, said more needs to be done to ensure that lifestyle information becomes part of routine conversations between patients and clinicians.

She said: “There can be no debate about the wealth of evidence showing that healthy lifestyle modifications can have a significant impact for a person living with MS.

“Yet by not offering this information to everyone diagnosed with MS we are failing our communities.”

The report also highlights the emotional toll of the condition. Survey results showed that 78 per cent of people said a diagnosis of MS would make them fearful about the future, while more than half said it would leave them feeling helpless or lacking control over what lies ahead.

Campaigners say improving access to information about lifestyle approaches could help people living with MS feel more hopeful and better equipped to manage their health alongside medical treatments.

They are calling on healthcare professionals, policymakers and patient communities to work together to ensure that discussions about lifestyle changes become a routine part of MS care.

Further information and support resources are available through the charity’s website at overcomingms.org.