News

Field hospitals open in Pembrokeshire and Llanelli as Covid-19 cases rise

Published

6 years ago

November 10, 2020

COVID-19 step-down patients will be among the first to be admitted to new field hospitals, Hywel Dda University Health Board has announced this week.

Step-down beds provide an intermediate level of care for patients with requirements somewhere between that of the general ward and the intensive care unit.

The move by the health boards comes as part of our ongoing response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The strategy involves around 30 beds being opened at both the Ysbyty Enfys Selwyn Samuel in Llanelli and at Ysbyty Enfys Carreg Las in Pembrokeshire for non-Covid patients from mid-November, which will allow the health board to better manage patient capacity and flow in our acute hospital sites.

The patients – who will be cared for by an experienced multiprofessional team including nurses, therapists and patient liaison officers – have been assessed as no longer needing medical input, but still require some care before being discharged home or to a community care facility.

Field hospitals have been established in each of the three counties of Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire as a precautionary measure to enable the NHS to respond to the current COVID pandemic. Over the summer a small number of patients were admitted to the facility in Carmarthen as part of a pilot of the service, which has helped to inform how we use these sites safely and appropriately.

*Please note – none of these hospitals have emergency departments or any other walk-in service and should not be accessed by members of our community. Visiting is restricted as per all other hospitals but health care staff can help connect patients and their families, carers and friends.

Dr Meinir Jones, clinical lead for the field hospitals and transformation, explained: “From the outset we have committed to using these field hospitals flexibly based on the demand experienced as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic and this activity together with our normal unscheduled care activity has reached the level at which we agreed we would need additional capacity from the field hospitals.

“This level was set according to several considerations including the need to have the capacity to admit COVID patients to the main acute hospitals in line with demand across the system, being able to have the right number of patients to adhere to current infection prevention measures and new clinical guidelines, and to safely reinstate some other urgent and critical planned procedures for our patients.”

Staffing for the facilities has been made possible thanks to the flexibility of current health care staff in Hywel Dda, some of whom are temporarily working in different roles or increased hours; as well previous members of staff returning to work and additional recruitment.

Dr Jones added: “Opening up these two hospitals will release some capacity in our acute sites and support the reinstating of other urgent planned procedures. We are acutely aware of the impact postponements have had on patients and their quality of life.”

All of our field hospitals are available to respond quickly and flexibly should there be a need. Acute hospitals, due to their intensive care capacity, access to theatres and supplies such as oxygen, and the support network around the hospital, are best placed to deal with patients who need more acute medical intervention and so will continue to be the primary sites for acutely unwell patients (both COVID and non-COVID).

Andrew Carruthers, Director of Operations at Hywel Dda UHB said: “Central to our development of the field hospitals has been the flexibility they could allow us to be able to manage capacity and overall demand throughout this pandemic.

“COVID unfortunately is not going to simply go away, and so we need to base our plans not just on how we manage COVID patients, but also how we can restart other services and provide continuity of care across the system.

“Both our planning and delivery is and will continue to be based on national and local clinical advice and with the ultimate objective of keeping our population as safe as possible when they need to access our services for care.”

News

First Minister tells EU ambassadors Wales wants closer ties with Europe

Published

3 minutes ago

June 26, 2026

Tom Sinclair

FIRST MINISTER Rhun ap Iorwerth has told European ambassadors that Wales is ready to play a stronger role in rebuilding relationships with the EU.

Speaking at Europe House in London yesterday, the First Minister addressed representatives to the UK from major EU nations, setting out his government’s ambition for closer cultural, economic and political co-operation with Europe.

The meeting came just a day after Mr ap Iorwerth made his first overseas visit as First Minister, travelling to Dublin on Wednesday.

In his speech, he described Wales as an “internationalist nation” and said the Welsh Government wanted to strengthen ties with European neighbours.

He said: “This Welsh Government is determined to take meaningful action to strengthen cultural and economic ties with our European neighbours.

“But we must have the tools to do this. That means a stronger Welsh voice in international engagement.”

Mr ap Iorwerth also repeated his support for a closer UK-EU relationship, saying Wales would continue to make the case for the UK to rejoin the Single Market and Customs Union.

He said doing so would “reduce friction, restore alignment and unlock the full potential of our shared economies.”

The First Minister said international engagement was already helping Welsh exports, inward investment and job creation, but added that Wales wanted to build further partnerships across Europe.

He also said the relationship with Europe was about more than trade.

“For generations, opportunities to live, study and work across Europe have shaped Welsh lives and broadened horizons,” he said.

“We are determined that the next generation will not be denied those opportunities.”

Mr ap Iorwerth said Wales was “full of national pride” while also being “confidently internationalist”.

He added: “We stand ready to work with you to deliver that future, together.”

Community

Man admits deliberately putting human faeces in public swimming pool

Published

19 minutes ago

June 26, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A 19-YEAR-OLD man has admitted deliberately placing human faeces in a public swimming pool, causing it to close for cleaning.

Dyfed-Powys Police said officers investigated a series of alleged criminal damage incidents at Newcastle Emlyn Leisure Centre between November 2025 and May 2026.

The man, from the Cardigan area, was identified and interviewed by police.

During interview, he admitted deliberately placing the waste in the pool, which led to its closure while cleaning was carried out.

Police said the matter has been dealt with by way of an Adult Community Resolution and the investigation is now closed.

Crime

Former Swansea Prison inmate died 48 hours after release

Published

21 minutes ago

June 26, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A FORMER Swansea Prison inmate died from combined drug toxicity just 48 hours after being released, an official investigation has found.

Jason Maynard, 43, left HMP Swansea on May 23, 2024. Two days later, he was pronounced dead by paramedics after being found unresponsive in the back of a friend’s car.

The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman report says Mr Maynard had been given overdose-reversal medication before leaving custody and warned about the heightened risk of overdose after a period of reduced drug tolerance.

After his release, he attended his first probation appointment and was placed in temporary hotel accommodation by Swansea Council.

The following day, police were called after concerns were raised that Mr Maynard had a cut above his eye and appeared incoherent. He refused hospital treatment and was taken to his mother’s home.

The report says he later used drugs and drank alcohol with friends. He then fell asleep in a car outside an address, where he was later found unresponsive.

Mr Maynard had missed a substance misuse appointment on May 24 but attended the service the next day. Staff noted he had “blue around his mouth”, which caused concern about possible drug use.

The Ombudsman found that prison, probation and support services had taken appropriate steps before and after his release.

Its findings said Mr Maynard had received suitable substance misuse support, had been referred for accommodation, and had licence conditions in place covering drug and alcohol use, engagement with services and drug testing.

The report concluded that the necessary referrals and support arrangements had been made, but Mr Maynard died later the same day he attended the community substance misuse service.