News

Shortage of GPs set to get worse

Published

9 years ago

March 17, 2015

THE NUMBER of GP vacancies in Pembrokeshire is a genuine threat to frontline services, the Pembrokeshire Herald has been told.

This newspaper recently reported that Dr Chris Van Kempen of the Goodwick practice was to retire this year and that the practice would subsequently be run as a managed practice by the Local Health Board.

Since that report, The Herald has learned that Dr Kevin Hill of the Barlow House practice in Milford Haven is to leave, while the situation at Tenby GP practice continues to cause grave concern, as a staff member is currently on sick leave.

In a statement dated February 16, Dr Phil Kloer, Executive Director of Primary, Community and Mental Health Services for Hywel Dda UHB, said: “Tenby GP Surgery is currently experiencing high levels of staff sickness. On behalf of the practice I’d like to reassure patients that the surgery is open and patients with appointments for week beginning Monday 16 February will still be seen as planned. Out of hours services are also unaffected.

“We recognise the importance of being able to access local general medical care and we are working closely with the practice at this time to minimise the impact on patient care. We will keep patients informed and provide an update at the earliest opportunity.”

In 2011’s consultation on the future of health services in Pembrokeshire, the Board justified the closure of Minor Injury Units at Tenby Cottage Hospital and South Pembs by claiming GP practices would fulfil those units’ roles. Not only has that has not happened, but the announcement was made without consulting with any of the GP practices in the areas affected by the units’ closure. The Herald understands that Pembrokeshire is chronically short of GP’s and that there are as many as ten unfilled vacancies for GP’s within Pembrokeshire.

The migration of services from Haverfordwest to Glangwili has placed significant extra strain on the out of hours GP service, with the service no longer offered at South Pembs Hospital at the weekends. The current Out of Hours service was revealed to be in difficulty in a document prepared by Withybush Hospital Director of Clinical Care Dr Iain Robertson-Steel and leaked to the media. Notwithstanding those difficulties, the Board claimed that GP’s were able to fill in the gaps at Withybush A&E under what was described at the time as ‘a new way of working’.

The Herald understands that there has been no substantial progress in discussions between the Board and GP’s.

One GP told our reporter that not only were the claims made by the Board “undeliverable” but that the Board should have concentrated on shoring up the creaking Out of Hours service and resolving GP recruitment issues before making such an announcement in the first place.

The situation in Pembrokeshire is not unique. The take up of GP training places has fallen to 62% in parts of England. A coalition pledge to train and extra 3,250 GP’s by this year has already been shunted back to 2016 and there is little sign of even that rigged target being hit.

Director of Primary Care, Community and Mental Health Dr Philip Kloer told The Herald: “The University Health Board is working extremely hard with a number of surgeries in Pembrokeshire to address what are UK-wide challenges in GP recruitment. At present, we are actively recruiting for a salaried GP to support Goodwick Practice and a GP for the out-of-hours service at Withybush Hospital. This is part of a significant Health Board-wide recruitment drive, which is having some success in attracting applicants to our organisation. We are also working closely with Tenby Surgery to support them in finding some locum GP cover, whilst they are experiencing some staff shortages. In addition, we are working with partners, such as the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust, to provide other skilled healthcare professional posts for unscheduled (unplanned) care at Tenby Surgery. Our longer term plans include working with primary care GPs and emergency departments to develop new integrated models of care, and potentially introducing more care through salaried GPs and advanced practitioners (i.e. employed directly by the University Health Board) to sustain services and provide opportunities to network and target support where it is needed most.”

News

Fresh questions over fire that ravaged Manorbier school

Published

10 mins ago

May 3, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A senior Pembrokeshire councillor is to be quizzed on what progress has been made in recouping a £200,000 insurance excess paid by the council following the 2022 fire at a Manorbier school.

Manorbier Church in Wales VC School and its adjoining schoolhouse was severely damaged by a fire on October 11, 2022, which broke out in the school roof space.

Pupils and staff were successfully evacuated with no injuries, and a “school from school” was set up in Jameston Village Hall, after a brief period of sanctuary at the nearby Buttyland caravan site.

Pembrokeshire County Council’s insurers have previously said the fire was accidentally started while “hot works” were being carried out by contractors to renew an adjacent flat roof, but, as has previously been stressed, no liability had been accepted to date.

Councillors have previously heard the majority of costs were likely to be met from the council’s insurers, with the caveat of the unknown issue of liability and its effect on the £200,000 insurance excess.

A submitted question, by Councillor Aled Thomas, to be heard at the full council meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council on May 9, will ask Cabinet Member for Education and Welsh Language Cllr Guy Woodham “to update the chamber on what progress the Cabinet have made in recouping the £200,000 insurance excess paid following the devastating non-fault fire at Manorbier school”.

Councillors have previously been told by Cllr Woodham: “The legal issues are not straightforward but will be robustly taken forward.

“At this stage it’s still subject to legal discussion. The excess will be covered by a fund the council holds for insurance excess.”

He said that, if liability was found or accepted, the council would “pursue for the full maximum claim of the costs associated with the fire”.

Crime

Dafydd Llywelyn retains his post as our local commissioner

Published

13 mins ago

May 3, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE result of the election for the Dyfed-Powys Police and Crime Commissioner election has been declared.

Plaid’s Dafydd Llywelyn retains his role as commissioner. He has held the role since 2016.

The result of the election is as follows:

Justin Mark Griffiths (Lib Dem) 7,719
Ian Harrison 19,134 (Con)
Dafydd Llywelyn 31,323 (Plaid)
Philippa Thompson (Lab) 18,353

Before the election, Dafydd Llywelyn promised: “As your current Commissioner, operational, front-line policing has, and always will come before party politics. I have a strong track record of delivering on my promises and of listening to the communities of Dyfed Powys. I am proud of what I have achieved since 2016, but there is still so much to do.

“I am an approachable individual and I believe in listening to all members of the community in order to shape a successful police force.

“Since 2016, I have increased resources whilst also retaining the lowest council tax levels in Wales. During that time, we’ve seen:

150 more Police Officers;

150 more Police Staff;
A CCTV system that is monitored 24/7 by police staff;
A dedicated rural crime team;
A focus on county lines drug dealing to target organised crime;
Investment in Youth Offending Teams to divert young people away from crime;
A new Offender Diversionary Scheme to reduce re-offending.

If re – elected:

I will safeguard Neighbourhood Policing resources retaining a visible local policing presence;
I will invest in the Communications Centre to ensure an accessible service;
I will continue to put the victim at the heart of the service and develop a truly victim led service;
I will work with operational staff to keep local police stations open;
I will invest in a new and refreshed School Police programme to deliver early intervention and preventative work;
I will prioritise working in partnership with organisations and agencies to safeguard the most vulnerable in society.

“Your safety is my top priority. I want to ensure that the Dyfed Powys Police Force remains one of the safest places to live in Wales and England.”

News

Pembroke Power Station hydrogen fuel production hopes rise

Published

16 mins ago

May 3, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A public consultation on plans to develop a green hydrogen production facility next to Pembroke Power Station has been launched by energy company RWE Generation UK.

The technology uses the electrolysis of water to split into its constituent elements, hydrogen for fuel and power, and oxygen.

RWE, in its consultation, says: “RWE is progressing proposals to develop a green hydrogen production facility on RWE’s land adjacent to the existing Pembroke Power Station and has launched a statutory pre-application consultation to inform stakeholders and the community.

“RWE values the input of the local community and feedback will be used to inform the plans. RWE Pembroke Green Hydrogen will facilitate the generation of green hydrogen. Green hydrogen is produced from water, using energy obtained from renewable sources.

“The hydrogen can then be used to decarbonise local industrial activities in South Wales, by displacing their current fossil fuel usage. The facility would be located on RWE’s site to the west of Pembroke Power Station and would benefit from being well-screened from local communities, while being accessed via the current power station access road.”

It adds: “It is expected that hydrogen generated by this facility for use in local industry would directly result in the reduction of approximately 93,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year, helping to secure a more sustainable future for South Wales’ long-standing industrial heritage. This CO2 saving is the equivalent of removing 18,600 cars from the road each year.”

The 23.7ha development site proposed comprises of a 4ha main electrolyser area, a 1.5km hydrogen gas pipeline corridor, an electrical connection to a high voltage transformer all located to the west of Pembroke Power Station, and an area for connections into the Pembroke Power Station and a cable corridor for connection into the National Grid Substation.

The consultation documents say: “The proposed development is a green hydrogen electrolysis plant that will consume circa 100-110MW of electricity to produce around 2 te/hr green hydrogen gas for third-party uses unrelated to Pembroke Power Station. Including the balance of plant, the total energy consumption for the proposed development will be approximately 140MW.

“The consequent reduction in use of fossil fuels due to substitution by green hydrogen gas, and avoided greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, is a beneficial operational effect of the proposed development.”

It says development of the project is expected to take 24 months, and subject to as-yet unsubmitted full plans’ approval, could be built by early 2027.

The consultation runs to May 20.

A hydrogen fuel plant facility was given the backing of county planners last October, at the former Puma Energy site in Milford Haven.

H2 Energy Ecosystem UK Limited sought permission for the erection of an electrolysis hydrogen generation facility, and associated storage facilities and works at the Amoco Road site.