Welsh Labour MP attacks health board over ‘multiple failings’

Martin Shipton

A Welsh Labour MP has launched a scathing attack on his local health board, accusing senior managers of failing residents repeatedly and being overpaid.

Henry Tufnell, the MP for Mid and South Pembrokeshire, has made the comments in a newsletter distributed to constituents and in an accompanying video.

‘Shocking’

In the newsletter he wrote: “I have been engaging extensively with local GP practices, local dentists, social care providers as well as constituents who have been sharing their experiences of healthcare in Pembrokeshire. I have provided all this data to Hywel Dda, including a comprehensive survey, which revealed that 62% of respondents wait more than a week to secure a GP appointment, and 87% believe that healthcare services have worsened in recent years. However, the shocking reality is that the management team at Hywel Dda do not recognise the extent of the problem and the level of dissatisfaction in our community – they remain in denial.

“I will continue to call out the failures of the Hywel Dda management team and I have submitted a Freedom of Information request to them, seeking clarity on current waiting times, service availability, and planned measures to address these failings. I will also be meeting with their chief executive, Phil Kloer, in early February. We desperately need to see improvements in our healthcare access and delivery.”

‘Struggling’

In the video accompanying the newsletter Mr Tufnell states: “What is it going to take for the health board to recognise that there’s a problem with healthcare outcomes and healthcare delivery in this county? Because at the moment I’m struggling to see how we’re going to do it.

“This is over months of preparation and months of engagement with them to present them with the findings of my GP survey. All the constituents have been sending in problems about waiting times. All that evidence, on top of everything that we gathered during the election campaign in terms of satisfaction with the health care, whether that be access to GP surgeries, access to dentistry, access to secondary care, ambulance waiting times, waiting times at A&E – and there’s no acceptance by them that there is even a problem with the delivery. Yes, they say that there’s issues with the NHS across Wales, but fundamentally it is their responsibility to deliver and implement healthcare in this county. And they are failing.

“Nurses and doctors are operating in an incredibly difficult position, but the management is failing them, it’s failing us here in Pembrokeshire. And it’s incredibly frustrating because there’s a complete lack of transparency, accountability – and fundamentally all these people who sit in these management roles are paid huge amounts of money. Some of them are paid six figure salaries – and they’re failing at their jobs.

“I’m going to be meeting with the chief executive, Phil Kloer, on February 14 and I’m going to put all these points to him again. And so I’ll keep you updated.”

Relationships

Professor Phil Kloer, chief executive of Hywel Dda University Health Board responded: “Our relationship with elected representatives is important to us and we have longstanding relationships with members of all parties who represent our communities. We value the contributions and feedback from constituents that our public representatives share with us and offer regular, scheduled meetings with politicians in our area.

“We are always open to feedback raised by our elected representatives – we all agree on the matters that are important to us – the health and wellbeing of the people who live and work in Hywel Dda.”

Last month Mr Tufnell was criticised by Plaid Cymru’s health spokesperson at the Senedd Mabon ap Gwynfor for earlier criticisms he had made of the health board. The Plaid MS said: “A Labour MP complains about access to healthcare in Pembrokeshire, conveniently forgetting that it’s his own party that has run the NHS down for 25 years. He might want to read Plaid Cymru’s proposals to improve the governance of the NHS. It’s time for a fresh start.”

At the time Mr Tufnell defended his comments about the health board, saying that 87% of respondents to his constituency survey thought that healthcare services had worsened in recent years, amongst other negative statistics.

He said: “As an MP, I have a duty to hold the health board accountable and fight for improvements. This FOI is a critical step in understanding the underlying issues and ensuring transparency. My constituents deserve answers and, most importantly, action.”