Vale cancer delay case and Maesteg hospital dispute trigger fresh political backlash

TWO separate controversies have reignited debate over health services in Wales, following fresh claims about delays in cancer care in the Vale of Glamorgan and an escalating political row over the future of Maesteg Community Hospital.

Vale mum’s cervical cancer diagnosis after years of symptoms

Jessica Mason, from Penarth, says she spent years seeking help for worrying symptoms including pain, swelling and bleeding before she was diagnosed with cervical cancer requiring urgent treatment.

Ms Mason has described repeatedly going back and forth for appointments and feeling she was “fobbed off” before the problem was eventually taken seriously. She says she only secured further investigation after “breaking down in tears” and pressing for answers.

The case has prompted renewed discussion about how women’s symptoms are assessed, and the importance of timely escalation for specialist checks when patients report persistent or worsening problems.

Maesteg hospital campaign turns into political row

In a separate dispute, the Welsh Liberal Democrats have accused Labour of spreading misinformation as campaigners continue to press for clarity on the future of Maesteg Community Hospital.

The party claims Labour figures, including Huw Irranca-Davies MS, have publicly suggested that Dean Ronan — the Liberal Democrat Senedd candidate for Afan Ogwr Rhondda and a campaign organiser — refused to engage with the health board and declined meetings.

Mr Ronan has rejected the allegation, insisting he has never been contacted by the health board about the hospital and could not have refused a meeting that was never offered. He has challenged Labour and the health board to publish evidence to support their claim.

The Liberal Democrats say the campaign has been community-led and cross-party, involving local supporters including the League of Friends, independent councillors and candidates from across the political spectrum. They have called for the public record to be corrected and for any claimed correspondence to be made public.

The health board has also faced criticism over the quality of public engagement around the hospital’s future, with local residents and campaigners seeking reassurance over services, beds and what could happen to the site.

Politics, pressure and public confidence

While the two stories relate to different parts of Wales and different issues — cancer pathways in one case and local service planning in another — both have become flashpoints in a wider political argument over NHS performance, transparency and public trust.

Welsh Conservative MS Andrew RT Davies has now cited Ms Mason’s case in a strongly worded attack on Welsh Government priorities, issuing the following statement:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DAVIES: “Vale mum’s cancer treatment wait shocking”

South Wales Central Conservative MS Andrew RT Davies has condemned Senedd ministers after a Vale mum waited years for a cervical cancer diagnosis.

Jessica Mason went back and forth with swelling, bleeding and pain in her vagina but was repeatedly “fobbed off”.

After being referred for a scan after “breaking down in tears”, cancer was discovered that required urgent treatment.

Mr Davies said:

“For years, Plaid Cymru separatists and Labour starved our Welsh NHS of resources.

“The hundreds of millions spent on 36 more Senedd members, a Nation of Sanctuary for asylum seekers and an Anti-Racist Wales Action Plan should have gone towards treating patients like Jessica.

“Her appalling case shows how Senedd ministers’ warped priorities are putting lives at risk.”

Nathen Amin draws a crowd of 120 with Owain Glyndŵr lecture, while John Brandrick is set to speak in Pembroke on Saturday, 7 February

PEMBROKE & MONKTON LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY began the New Year in fine style with a talk by Nathen Amin, which proved hugely popular, with 120 people filling Pembroke Town Hall. Nathen is nationally recognised for his work on the history of Henry Tudor, but this time he delivered an impressive and engaging talk on the great Welsh patriot, Owain Glyndŵr. So warmly received in Pembroke, he has already promised to return as part of next year’s programme – something to look forward to.

The Society’s next talk will take place on Saturday, 7 February at Pembroke Town Hall, continuing the Welsh theme. We are pleased to welcome John Brandrick, who will speak on: ‘The foundation, development and decline of Whitland Abbey’.

Whitland Abbey was an important Cistercian abbey founded in 1151. Under the patronage of powerful Welsh princes, it developed a strong Welsh cultural identity and grew in influence to become the motherhouse of the Cistercian order of monks in Wales. Several daughter houses were established, including Strata Florida, Strata Marcella, and Cwmhir. The abbey flourished during medieval Wales, before gradually declining and eventually being dissolved by Henry VIII in 1539.

John Brandrick is a retired engineering draughtsman whose main interests now include illustrating and researching Whitland Abbey, as well as drawing the machinery found in wind and water mills throughout Wales and beyond, helping to preserve an important record for the future. His talk is a detailed, illustrated presentation covering who the Whitland Abbey monks were and where they came from; how the abbey was built; how it interacted with the nobility; and how it weathered the upheavals of the period from 1150 through to the dissolution. John will also explore the abbey’s later story – its gradual disappearance from view, its rediscovery in the 1800s, and the excavations carried out since, as well as its future. He is a member of the Friends of Whitland Abbey, a voluntary group that helps care for the site, which is open to the public at all times.

As usual, Pembroke Town Hall opens at 10:00am for the Coffee Morning, followed by the talk at 11:00am. Also open on the day will be Pembroke Museum and the Council Chamber, situated on the first floor of the Town Hall. A lift is available for disabled access. All are welcome to attend, and entry is free.

For more information, visit www.pembrokeandmonktonhistory.org.uk, and follow the Society on Facebook. Queries can be sent to [email protected].

THE PAUL SARTORI FOUNDATION is celebrating an act of generosity from local classic car enthusiast Roger Handcock, whose donation of a cherished Mazda MX5 has helped raise £5,500 plus Gift Aid for end-of-life care across Pembrokeshire.

Roger made the decision to donate his 1990 MX5 after a period of ill health over the summer meant the car was no longer being driven. He said he wanted it to be enjoyed — and properly cared for — by someone who would appreciate it as much as he had.

A long-standing member of the Pembrokeshire Classic Car Club, Roger said: “I was ill this summer and my 1990 MX5 was not getting any use, so I decided to part with it in the hope that it would bring some enjoyment and be maintained properly. However, I didn’t have the energy to try to sell it for the highest possible price.

“Being a member of Pembrokeshire Classic Car Club, I decided to donate the car to Paul Sartori Hospice at Home which is one of their favoured charities. In the end a great price was secured for the vehicle, and I am pleased to say that it will still be seen on Pembrokeshire’s roads.”

The Foundation said donations like Roger’s provide a vital source of income, helping to fund free hospice at home support for people nearing the end of life. The service enables patients to remain in the comfort of their own homes, supported by specialist equipment and professional care, while also offering help to families at an incredibly difficult time.

A spokesperson for the Paul Sartori Foundation said they were grateful for Roger’s kindness, adding that the impact of his gift would continue long after the MX5 begins its next chapter on Pembrokeshire’s roads.

Brave donation: Roger Handcock with Paul Sartori Events and Fundraising Officer Joanne Lutwyche (Pic: Paul Sartori Foundation).