News

Calls for review of paediatric services

Published

9 years ago

November 4, 2016

Withybush Hospital: Conservative AM calls for urgent review into paediatrics

CALLS for an urgent review of paediatric services at Withybush Hospital have been made by a local Welsh Conservative AM.

The calls by Preseli Pembrokeshire AM Paul Davies came as Hywel Dda University Health Board confirmed that it faces ‘renewed and significant workforce challenges at a consultant level’.

Mr Davies said that a review should be undertaken with a view to reinstating 24 hour paediatric services at Withybush. He added that the downgrade to a 12 hour service had been a ‘disaster for the people of Pembrokeshire’.

The latest developments at Withybush Hospital have been triggered by the retirement of a Consultant Paediatrician, and another who is taking maternity leave.

Mr Davies raised the issue in the Assembly with the Cabinet Secretary for Health after tabling an ‘urgent question’.

Speaking outside the chamber, Mr Davies said: “I have long warned that downgrading services would be catastrophic – not just for local services, but for recruitment generally.

“My worst fears have now been borne out, and for the minister to question the motives of a local member in raising these concerns is totally unacceptable.

“It is clear that the decision to move to a 12 hour service has been an unmitigated disaster for the people of Pembrokeshire. That’s why I’m calling for a commitment to reviewing paediatric services at Withybush Hospital, with a view to restoring a 24 hour service.”

Mr Davies added: “When the original changes were made, I warned that downgrading paediatrics would undermine the sustainability of remaining services.

“It’s hard enough to recruit at a consultant level in the Welsh NHS, but the Health Board itself recognises that there is a ‘particular problem’ here in Pembrokeshire.

“That’s why we need to see clear reassurances from the Cabinet Secretary that these services are secure, and in the short term that the government are taking steps to help the Health Board to overcome some of the recruitment challenges they face.”

Responding to Mr Davies’ calls for an urgent review, Mid and West Wales Labour AM Eluned Morgan said: “Paul Davies and the Tories should stop talking down the incredible service that staff at Withybush Hospital give.”

Ms Morgan added: “He may not have noticed, but there is already an issue with specialist medical recruitment in West Wales, and his constant scare-mongering about the safety of the service will do nothing to attract staff to work in Withybush, nor will it give confidence to patients who need treatment in the hospital.

“I am very aware of the concerns of local patients over paediatric services. But the fact is the Health Board is now much more focused on dealing with issues of recruitment as they arise.

“I’m not sure what an ‘urgent review’ would tell us that we don’t already know. Our priority should be to ensure that we attract specialist medical staff to West Wales to sustain and develop care for the future. That is the same position my Labour colleagues have been lobbying for locally for the last few years.

“The Tories don’t have all the answers; it was not that long ago that Labour had to lobby the UK Tory Government to ensure that immigration controls were relaxed so that 10 foreign doctors could be recruited to keep A&E at Withybush open.

“I am in regular discussion with the Health Board about securing local services. I’ll continue to work to ensure we get the right balance of care that works for the people of Pembrokeshire and the wider Hywel Dda area.”

Also in response to the comments made by Mr Davies, a Welsh Government spokesperson said: “The Cabinet Secretary made it clear in the Chamber that he was disappointed that the factual evidence available, alongside the very best clinical advice about the service model is being wilfully ignored.

“The review by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health confirms that the new service model has improved outcomes for women and their babies. Denying this is the case creates a climate of fear and uncertainty. This is wholly unnecessary and does a real disservice to the NHS staff providing care to people and families at Withybush.

“Hywel Dda University Health Board is committed to maintaining the paediatric ambulatory care unit at Withybush hospital. Services are available from 10am to 10pm, seven days a week, and local families are being assured that they can continue to access services as they do now and do not need to make changes in how they access care.”

Education

Pembrokeshire school named second in Sunday Times guide

Published

42 minutes ago

December 5, 2025

Luke Sinclair

A Pembrokeshire secondary school has been recognised among the very best in Wales, securing a leading position in a major national education guide.

Ysgol Bro Preseli in Crymych has been ranked the second-best state secondary school in Wales in the 2026 Sunday Times Parent Power Guide, a long-established benchmark for academic performance across the UK. Only Cowbridge School placed higher.

The annual guide, regarded as one of the country’s most authoritative assessments of school standards, compiles data from more than 2,000 state and independent schools. It also offers a range of practical advice for families, including guidance on scholarships, the 11-plus, and choosing the right school.

Helen Davies, editor of the Parent Power Guide, acknowledged the pressures facing the education sector but praised the commitment shown by schools nationwide. She said: “The educational landscape is testing – budget challenges, rising student mental health issues, special educational needs and an increasingly uncertain future.

“But there is also so much to celebrate from the dedication of teachers who are finding ever more innovative and impactful ways to enrich their students and give them the very best start in life.

“As well as celebrating the academic excellence of the top schools, it is uplifting to see how they are shaping their students to be ready for the 21st century, and instilling a lifelong love of learning.”

In addition to its strong showing within Wales, Ysgol Bro Preseli secured 263rd place in the UK-wide rankings. Elsewhere in the state secondary table, Ysgol Gyfun Penweddig was placed third in Wales, with Ysgol Eirias in Colwyn Bay following closely behind.

Now in its 33rd year, the Parent Power Guide was published online on Friday, 5 December, with the print edition set to appear on Sunday, 7 December. Final positions are determined by year-on-year performance, supported by editorial judgement.

The full rankings and analysis are available via The Sunday Times digital edition, and the guide remains a trusted resource for families seeking a clear picture of school performance across the UK.

Crime

Swansea man dies weeks after release from troubled HMP Parc: Investigation launched

Published

12 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Tom Sinclair

A SWANSEA man has died just weeks after being released from HMP Parc, the Bridgend prison now at the centre of a national crisis over inmate deaths and post-release failures.

Darren Thomas, aged 52, died on 13 November 2025 — less than a month after leaving custody. The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) has confirmed an independent investigation into his death, which is currently listed as “in progress”.

Born on 9 April 1973, Mr Thomas had been under post-release supervision following a period at HMP/YOI Parc, the G4S-run prison that recorded seventeen deaths in custody in 2024 — the highest in the UK.

His last known legal appearance was at Swansea Crown Court in October 2024, where he stood trial accused of making a threatening phone call and two counts of criminal damage. During the hearing, reported by The Pembrokeshire Herald at the time, the court heard he made threats during a heated call on 5 October 2023.

Mr Thomas denied the allegations but was found guilty on all counts. He was sentenced to a custodial term, which led to his imprisonment at HMP Parc.

Parc: A prison in breakdown

HMP Parc has faced sustained criticism throughout 2024 and 2025. A damning unannounced inspection in January found:

Severe self-harm incidents up 190%
Violence against staff up 109%
Synthetic drugs “easily accessible” across wings
Overcrowding at 108% capacity

In the first three months of 2024 alone, ten men died at Parc — part of a wider cluster of twenty PPO-investigated deaths since 2022. Six occurred within three weeks, all linked to synthetic drug use.

Leaked staff messages in 2025 exposed a culture of indifference, including one officer writing: “Let’s push him to go tomorrow so we can drop him.”

Six G4S employees have been arrested since 2023 in connection with alleged assaults and misconduct.

The danger after release

Deaths shortly after release from custody are a growing national concern. Ministry of Justice data shows 620 people died while under community supervision in 2024–2025, with 62 deaths occurring within 14 days of release.

Short sentences — common at Parc — leave little time for effective rehabilitation or release planning. Homelessness, loss of drug tolerance and untreated mental-health conditions create a high-risk environment for those newly released.

The PPO investigates all such deaths to determine whether prisons or probation failed in their duties. Reports often take 6–12 months and can lead to recommendations.

A system at breaking point

The crisis at Parc reflects wider failures across UK prisons and probation. A July 2025 House of Lords report described the service as “not fit for purpose”. More than 500 people die in custody annually, with campaigners warning that private prisons such as Parc prioritise cost-cutting over care.

The PPO investigation into the death of Darren Thomas continues.

Crime

Woman stabbed partner in Haverfordwest before handing herself in

Published

13 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Court Reporter

A WOMAN who stabbed her partner during a drug-fuelled episode walked straight into Haverfordwest Police Station and told officers what she had done, Swansea Crown Court has heard.

Amy Woolston, 22, of Dartmouth Street in Milford Haven, arrived at the station at around 8:00pm on June 13 and said: “I stabbed my ex-partner earlier… he’s alright and he let me walk off,” prosecutor Tom Scapens told the court.

The pair had taken acid together earlier in the day, and Woolston claimed she believed she could feel “stab marks in her back” before the incident.

Police find victim with four wounds

Officers went to the victim’s home to check on him. He was not there at first, but returned shortly afterwards. He appeared sober and told police: “Just a couple of things,” before pointing to injuries on his back.

He had three stab or puncture wounds to his back and another to his bicep.

The victim said that when he arrived home from the shop, Woolston was acting “a bit shifty”. After asking if she was alright, she grabbed something from the windowsill — described as either a knife or a shard of glass — and stabbed him.

He told officers he had “had worse from her before”, did not support a prosecution, and refused to go to hospital.

Defendant has long history of violence

Woolston pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding. The court heard she had amassed 20 previous convictions from 10 court appearances, including assaults, battery, and offences against emergency workers.

Defending, Dyfed Thomas said Woolston had longstanding mental health problems and had been off medication prescribed for paranoid schizophrenia at the time.
“She’s had a difficult upbringing,” he added, saying she was remorseful and now compliant with treatment.

Woolston was jailed for 12 months, but the court heard she has already served the equivalent time on remand and will be released imminently on a 12-month licence.