News

Criticism over lack of Health Board events

Published

8 years ago

May 22, 2018

THERE has been criticism of the small number of public drop-in events organised by the Hywel Dda Health Board, in response to the consultation about the future of healthcare in west Wales.

The three proposals, all of which involve the closure of Withybush Hospital, have been met with some protest.

This resulted in the organisation of seven drop-in events to give people the chance to voice their opinions.

The original venues were Cardigan, Carmarthen, Saundersfoot, Letterston, Aberystwyth, Llanelli and Llandybie.

Demand saw the confirmation of seven additional venues and dates, together with a virtual event, hosted on the Health Board Facebook page, for anyone who could not attend in person and would like to speak with clinicians.

The seven additional events were announced as taking place in Llandovery, Ammanford, St Davids, Llandysul, Haverfordwest, Lampeter, Milford Haven and the Facebook Virtual Event.

But it has been argued that there are still too few events and that the choice of venues doesn’t represent those affected most by the proposals.

In all three options, Bronglais District General Hospital will continue to provide services for mid-Wales, yet there are as many drop-in events in Ceredigion as there are in Pembrokeshire, who lose their hospital in all three outcomes.

Marc Tierney, who is seeking to become the next Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, said: “I am very disappointed that Hywel Dda Health Board has pretty much refused to hold any further engagement events in Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire as part of the ‘Our Big Change’ consultation.

“The Health Board has secured an extra 3 dates for Preseli Pembrokeshire, opting to hold an event in Milford Haven and Haverfordwest, overlooking the communities of Pembroke and Pembroke Dock.”

The proposals come as a response to the challenges the health board currently faces, such as an ageing population, difficulty for many people in accessing services close to home, significant recruitment challenges – particularly specialist medical staff – and ageing hospital buildings which require a lot of maintenance to keep running.

The Health Board believe that reducing the number of main hospitals will enable fewer medical rotas to fill, making it easier to attract clinicians to come and work for Hywel Dda; also meaning shorter waiting times and fewer cancellations, and more money for local and community health services.

Hywel Dda Chief Executive Steve Moore said: “I’d like to personally thank everyone who has taken the time to provide feedback on our proposals to change the way we provide local healthcare services across the three counties. Our public drop-in events have been especially well attended so far and as a reflection of this I’m pleased to announce these new dates to ensure that as many people as possible can continue to get involved and talk to our doctors, nurses and therapists about their views. Don’t forget – if you want your voice to be heard it’s also vitally important that you fill in our questionnaire.”

Hywel Dda’s Executive Medical Director & Director of Clinical Strategy, Dr Phil Kloer, added: “We’ve come up with three proposals that we think are safe, viable and offer an improvement on what we currently have, and we are presenting these to you, to listen and talk to you further and take on board your views and ideas.

“We all have a shared passion for the NHS, our services, our history and our staff and we want to harness this to design, together with you, the best health service for our population. We are so grateful to those of you who have already been involved in this as patients, staff and members of our communities, and we are pleased to be able to provide a platform for further discussion in the form of these additional dates.”

Crime

Assault investigation launched after late-night incident in Carmarthen

Published

41 minutes ago

March 17, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Police appeal for witnesses following attack in Guildhall Square

DYFED-POWYS POLICE is investigating an alleged assault reported to have taken place in Guildhall Square, Carmarthen.

At around 12.30am on Sunday (Mar 15), an 18-year-old man was approached by a small group outside Cofio Lounge.

It is reported that the victim was pulled to the ground and assaulted before the group — described as one man and two women — left the area.

The victim attended hospital shortly after the incident, where he was treated for head injuries. He was discharged later the same day.

Officers are appealing for anyone with information that could assist the investigation to come forward.

Information can be provided in the following ways:

Online: https://orlo.uk/KRjzb
Email: [email protected]
Call: 101

Alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 or via crimestoppers-uk.org.

Please quote reference: 26*208852

News

Emergency services flood Haverfordwest after reports of body in river

Published

1 hour ago

March 17, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Town centre bridges sealed off as multi-agency response continues

A MAJOR emergency response is underway in the centre of Haverfordwest after reports of a body in the River Cleddau.

Multiple police units, fire crews and ambulance teams were called to the scene shortly before 11:00am on Tuesday (Mar 17), with large parts of the town centre sealed off.

The Herald understands that access across both the Old Bridge and the newly installed Instagramable Bridge near by has been restricted while emergency services deal with the incident.

A witness at the scene told The Herald that he was among several members of the public who contacted emergency services after spotting a body in the water.

He said that a significant response followed, including several police vehicles, multiple fire engines, and a specialist water rescue unit.

A rigid inflatable boat (RIB) was also deployed on the river as part of the operation.

An ambulance is also still in attendance.

Emergency services remain at the scene and the situation is ongoing.

There has been no official confirmation from Dyfed-Powys Police at this stage regarding the nature of the incident.

MORE TO FOLLOW

Climate

New deal aims to unlock Wales’ renewable energy potential

Published

6 hours ago

March 17, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Sector partnership targets 100% renewable electricity by 2035

A NEW deal has been launched to help Wales meet its renewable energy targets while ensuring greater benefits for local communities.

The Renewable Energy Sector Deal will see the Welsh Government and industry work in strategic partnership to unlock the full economic potential of Wales’ renewable energy future.

The announcement coincides with the publication of the latest Energy Generation and Energy Use in Wales report, which shows renewable electricity generation in 2024 was equivalent to 54% of Wales’ electricity consumption.

The Welsh Government has set a target for renewable electricity to meet 70% of demand by 2030 and 100% by 2035. It also aims to deliver at least 1.5 gigawatts of locally owned renewable energy capacity by 2035.

The Sector Deal is intended to accelerate deployment across onshore and offshore wind, solar, marine and hydro projects. It will also focus on strengthening supply chains, developing skills, and ensuring communities across Wales benefit directly from renewable energy developments.

Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Rebecca Evans, is launching the deal during a visit to the Morlais tidal energy project on Anglesey.

The Morlais scheme, owned and managed by social enterprise Menter Môn, is set to become the largest consented tidal energy project in Europe. The Welsh Government holds an £8 million equity stake in the project.

Rebecca Evans said: “Our ambition is to become a world leader in renewable energy, creating jobs and green growth to make families in Wales more prosperous and help with the cost of living.

“The current conflict in the Middle East has further highlighted the importance of energy independence. Our Renewable Energy Sector Deal will provide a strong foundation for future delivery, benefiting our economy, environment and energy security.

“The Morlais project shows how sustained partnership can unlock Wales’ natural energy resources and turn them into lasting economic opportunities for local communities and businesses.

“The latest energy report shows we are making progress towards our targets. Combined with the record 20 major renewable projects, totalling 1,400MW, backed in the most recent UK Government Contracts for Difference auction, it is clear we are building a more resilient, renewable-powered future.”

Dafydd Gruffydd, Managing Director of Menter Môn, added: “The Renewable Energy Sector Deal is an important step in accelerating growth in Wales and across the UK.

“It recognises the role marine energy schemes like Morlais can play in strengthening energy security, creating high-quality jobs and delivering long-term economic benefits for communities such as Anglesey.”

The Sector Deal was co-produced by a task and finish group made up of developers and community organisations.