News

Neyland: Health Board want solution in place before closure

Published

6 years ago

June 7, 2018

Chat: Neyland Town Council members chatted with Health Board officials before the meeting

THE HYWEL DDA HEALTH BOARD hopes to have a solution in place by September for residents of Neyland affected by the closure of the St Clements Surgery.

The Health Board confirmed that they are speaking to a number of other providers about services being kept in Neyland but added that if they created a level of anxiety or concern in the area it could work negatively against them.

The Argyle Medical Group’s application to close the Surgery was accepted by the Health Board and will be closing on September 1.

The Group had originally applied for the surgery to close in April but that was rejected by the Health Board.

Argyle Medical Group currently has its main practice in Pembroke Dock and another in Pembroke called St Oswalds.

The decision to close the surgery prompted anger amongst Neyland residents and a public meeting was held with representatives of the Argyle Medical Group in January and over 200 people attended.

The Town Council also called for a second public meeting with the Health Board but they refused and instead offered to meet with the council to discuss the issues.

That meeting took place on Tuesday, June 5, where Town Councillors posed a number of questions to the five Health Board members in attendance.

Prior to the meeting a Town Council spokesperson told the Herald they were ‘very worried’ and ‘concerned’ for the people of Neyland about how they would access services in Pembroke Dock.
The spokesperson added: “We feel it is totally unacceptable for residents of Neyland and we need to find some way of easing the burden on the residents.”

At Tuesday’s meeting, Health Board officials assured the Town Council that they were working towards a solution and that they hoped to have that solution in place before the closure of the St Clements Surgery.

Health Board Director of Primary Community and Long Term Care, Jill Paterson said they were talking to other practitioners about a solution but did not want to confirm who they were.
Jill said: “Whenever we get a situation around a change in practices it is very difficult for patients that might be affected by that so I want to assure you that we have heard the views and one of the issues is the issue around travel. The contract for this practice rests with the Argyle practice, the Health Board isn’t taking over a contract at this point and the practice is not returning to us.

“At this point, what the practice is saying, they have got sustainability issues but they are advising that they will continue to provide the care for patients who were previously being seen at St Clements, but clearly, on the other side of the water.

“We know it is the wish of the St Clements practice that the majority of them still want their patient care being provided in this site.

“The reason we are not taking over the practice is that we don’t have the contract coming back to us to allow us to take over.

“Access to services was very much considered by the Primary Care Applications Committee at the time which the decision had to be made and on the other hand we were weighing up the sustainability issues the practice was facing with the significant reduction in their medical manpower.

“What we also needed to do, and we’re still in that discussion, is recognise that whilst in the interim, the practice will continue to offer that service to St Clements patients, it’s incumbent on the Health Board to think about the other options that might be available.

“I think the difficulty, at this point, is we are still in the process of those discussions with other providers of services in the local area, but we’re not at a point in which anything can be confirmed.”

Cllr Bill McGarvie asked if the closure of the Surgery could be delayed until an option was in place.

Jill responded: “We are still a few months from that closure and I’m hoping that we would be able to be at a point where we’re able to be more confident in articulating a more local option for St Clements, we’re in lots of discussions at the moment, there are things that other providers are putting forward that we need to work through.

“I’m hopeful that by the time we are coming towards the closure point there will be a level of confidence that we can give around that future option.”

Councillors also asked if transport would be provided to take patients to Pembroke Dock and Health Board Vice Chair Judith Hardisty said they were currently exploring all of the options.
Cllr Gareth Lawlor asked why St Clements was the one chosen for closure instead of St Oswalds in Pembroke.

Judith Hardisty said: “That was the question we put to them, why St Clements and not St Oswalds? Their argument was, in using the resources they’ve got they felt they could better provide the services they’ve got by concentrating that in Pembroke Dock.”

Cllr Lawlor also asked about staffing levels in St Oswalds and it was revealed that it was currently staffed at the same level as Neyland.

Cllr McGarvie asked if there could be a nurse-led service in Neyland and he was told that was one option that had been considered.

Vice-chair Judith Hardisty later went on to say that Argyle Medical Group had admitted that when they merged they didn’t do enough to properly merge their services and added that they do understand the strength of feeling at the decision they have made.

She also said that as soon as they had anything definite they would share it with them and that they would make sure Argyle Medical Group will meet the conditions that had been laid down.

Education

South Hook delivers vital safety lessons to Pembrokeshire children

Published

1 hour ago

November 27, 2024

Tom Sinclair

PEMBROKESHIRE’S CRUCIAL CREW event returned earlier this month, delivering essential safety lessons to year six pupils from across the county.

Now in its 31st year, Wales’ longest-running Crucial Crew programme hosted nearly 1,300 children from 44 schools at Scolton Manor Park’s Barn – the event’s first time at this venue. The initiative, organised by Pembrokeshire County Council’s Road Safety Team, is supported by South Hook LNG Terminal.

Since its inception in 1993, more than 40,000 Pembrokeshire schoolchildren have taken part in the interactive workshops designed to teach critical safety skills. Aimed at year six pupils, the programme continues to play a key role in preparing children for a safer future as they transition to secondary school.

Covering a wide range of everyday scenarios, the workshops provide guidance on water, fire, road, and rail safety, as well as school bus evacuation, electrical hazards, internet safety, and handling dogs. The programme also addresses serious topics such as domestic violence. Through these hands-on scenarios, children develop practical knowledge that can stay with them for life.

Hamad Al Samra, General Manager of South Hook LNG Terminal, expressed pride in supporting the initiative: “Having backed Crucial Crew for the past fifteen years, we are incredibly proud to continue our involvement in a programme that teaches our children such diverse and valuable safety skills. Our thanks to all the dedicated individuals from various agencies who make this event possible.”

Cllr Rhys Sinnett, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services, echoed this sentiment: “Pembrokeshire County Council is proud to be a partner in this fantastic scheme, supporting our young people to be safer now and in the future. We are grateful for the commitment of everyone involved in delivering Crucial Crew.”

This year’s event featured contributions from key organisations, including:

Pembrokeshire Domestic Abuse Services
Road Safety and School Transport teams
National Grid and Network Rail
Welsh Ambulance Service
Dyfed Powys Police
Mid and West Wales Fire Service
John Burns Foundation
HM Coastguard and the RNLI

Charity

Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society donate £1,400 to all-Wales charity

Published

2 hours ago

November 27, 2024

Tom Sinclair

WALES AIR AMBULANCE has continued to benefit from being the chosen charity of Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society’s president Adam Thorne.

Throughout the year the society has come together to raise much-needed funds for the Wales Air Ambulance.

Adam chose the Wales Air Ambulance Charity because of how valuable the service is to the rural and farming community in West Wales.

Following a successful harvest festival service and pre-Pembrokeshire County Show service, donations were made towards the charity of £1,400.

Wales Air Ambulance is consultant-led, taking hospital-standard treatments to the patient and, if required, transferring them directly to the most appropriate hospital for their illness or injury. For the patient, this can mean hours saved when compared to standard care and is proven to greatly improve survival and early recovery.

This advanced critical care includes the ability to administer anaesthesia, deliver blood transfusions and conduct minor operations, all at the scene of an incident.

As a pan-Wales service, its dedicated crews, regardless of where they are based, will travel the length and breadth of the country to deliver emergency lifesaving care.

The Wales Air Ambulance needs to raise £11.2 million every ensure to keep its helicopters in the air and its rapid response vehicles on the road.

Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society’s fundraising journey will continue, with a carol concert on 16 December and a luncheon in February.

Mike May, the Charity’s Regional Fundraising Manager for West Wales said: “Firstly a huge thank you to President Adam Thorne for picking our Charity as Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society’s Charity of the Year. Thank you to everyone who has helped to raise the funds and will continue to assist with fundraising events for Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society.

“The Charity relies on donations, like these to be able to continue to provide our lifesaving service for the people of Wales. We hope the up and coming concert and luncheon is just as successful as their previous fundraisers.”

Business

Millin Brook Luxury Dog Boarding wins three top industry awards

Published

2 hours ago

November 27, 2024

Tom Sinclair

MILLIN BROOK Luxury Dog Boarding, a family-run business in Wiston, has received three major industry awards this year, cementing its place as a leader in pet care services.

The first accolade came in September when the business was named Business Service of the Year at the PetQuip Awards. Co-owner Sian Smith said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have been awarded Business Service of the Year. We put our heart and soul into providing the highest possible level of service to our wonderful clients, and it’s great to have this recognised by industry experts.”

THE UK’S BEST

On November 7, Millin Brook was crowned Best Kennels in the UK at the Pet Industry Federation (PIF) Awards. These awards, which celebrate excellence across the pet care sector, saw Millin Brook score highly in customer satisfaction.

Nigel Baker, CEO of the Pet Industry Federation, said:

“Millin Brook particularly impressed the judges. They scored very highly on their customer satisfaction scores.”

Co-owner Dave Smith added: “This is the biggest accolade we can receive in the pet industry, and we are so very proud.”

A LONDON CELEBRATION

The year was rounded off on November 21, when Millin Brook won the Kennel and Home Boarding category at the Dog Friendly Awards, held at the Kennel Club in Mayfair, London.

Mrs Smith reflected on the occasion, saying: “It is such a beautiful venue and full of history. Following the award ceremony, we were treated to a fabulous spread of afternoon tea. One of the highlights was meeting Ted, the dog from Gone Fishing. We finished the day with a tour around the Kennel Club museum and enjoyed a few celebration drinks.”

These three awards highlight Millin Brook’s commitment to providing outstanding pet care and confirm its status as a standout name in the UK pet industry.