Hywel Dda University Health Board and the Wales Deanery have moved to reassure the public over the medical training status and continued delivery of services at Withybush Hospital.

A statement issued this week, said:

During the past few months, Hywel Dda University Health Board has acknowledged and communicated to staff, patients and the public; ongoing workforce issues being experienced in hospitals across the UK, and particularly affecting Withybush Hospital at this time.

Executive directors, service managers and clinical staff have worked side-by-side, and alongside partner organisations, to find sustainable resolutions to challenges and the University Health Board does not believe these challenges are insurmountable.

Focusing on medical rotas, training support and service models that address workforce issues, actions already taken include:

• Strengthening consultant numbers through appointing additional locums to provide immediate interim support in the specialities of anaesthetics, care of the elderly, emergency medicine and psychiatry

• Appointing additional junior doctor locums to support trainees

• Drawing in support from senior doctors from elsewhere in the University Health Board

• Advertising for substantive posts to ensure we can continue to deliver this in the future, including consultants in care of the elderly, orthogeriatrics, palliative care and anaesthetics

Some substantive posts have already attracted interest and applications and interviews are scheduled in the coming weeks for an unscheduled care medical practitioner for the Emergency and Urgent Care Centre; and junior and middle grade doctors for medicine.

Interim medical director Phil Kloer explained: "The executive board and the consultant body, supported by clinical frontline staff, have been working extremely hard, together with the Welsh Deanery, to ensure we meet the training needs of our junior doctors. Withybush Hospital remains a training hospital and we share the same commitment to maintaining this position, as well as providing access to local service provided at the hospital, including emergency and urgent care."

Dean at the Welsh Deanery, Professor Derek Gallen, said: "We are working closely with our trainees and colleagues at Hywel Dda University Health Board to work through together any concerns that arise as a result of the workforce issues being experienced currently."

Senior health leaders at Hywel Dda University Health Board have consistently maintained their commitment to the long term future of Withybush Hospital.

Chief executive Steve Moore said: "I want to be clear with our staff and public that we are committed to both Withybush Hospital and maintaining our training status with the Wales Deanery. We continue to work closely with all staff, clinicians and other bodies to meet a shared purpose of delivering high quality NHS care to our patients."