Welsh Lib Dems urge reversal of surgery move from Withybush Hospital

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have issued a strong call for Hywel Dda University Health Board to reverse its decision to remove emergency general surgery from Withybush General Hospital.
The party warns that the change poses “serious and unacceptable risks” to communities across Pembrokeshire, one of Wales’ most rural and geographically challenging counties.
Under the Health Board’s plans, emergency general surgery would be centralised at Glangwili Hospital in Carmarthen. The Liberal Democrat team highlight that the additional travel distance could be dangerous in time‑critical emergencies such as trauma, internal bleeding, or accidents in industrial and agricultural settings.
Pembrokeshire’s dispersed population, limited transport links, and long road journeys already strain urgent care access. The region is also home to major oil refineries, LNG terminals, busy ports and extensive agricultural industries — all of which carry higher risks of serious accidents requiring immediate surgical intervention.
There are also concerns about the impact on ambulance capacity. Longer journeys to Carmarthen will reduce the number of ambulances available locally, intensifying pressure on a service already under strain.
The Leader of the Welsh LiberaL Democats, Jane Dodds MS, said: “This decision puts patient safety at risk. In Pembrokeshire, long travel distances already make accessing urgent care difficult.
“Removing emergency general surgery from Withybush means that, in the most critical moments, people may simply not get the treatment they need in time. That is unacceptable, and we are calling on Hywel Dda to urgently reconsider.”
Welsh Liberal Democrat Lead candidate for Ceredigion Penfro, Sandra Jervis, who is also health spokesperson for the party, added: “Pembrokeshire is rural, industrial, and high‑risk — a county where emergency services must be close at hand.
“From refinery workers to farmers to coastal communities, people deserve the reassurance that life‑saving surgery is available locally. This decision undermines that reassurance and puts lives in jeopardy.”