A retiring Bronglais Hospital consultant has warned of the challenges ahead for Hywel Dda health chiefs and the nation as a whole, especially in the area of staff recruitment.

Brian Campbell, who worked as a consultant anaesthetist for 17 years at Bronglais, said he was surrounded by talented colleagues who have access to the latest CT and MRI scanners, the best operating theatres in Wales, and the latest anaesthesia and intensive care equipment.

But he warned that the national trend of centralising services was an issue, as was a lack of central funding for hospice care services.

He said: “Our small size and distance from anywhere else are not a good match with the current drive to centralise and specialise hospital care teams.

“It is a 90-minute drive to the next sizeable town with a bigger hospital providing more advanced services.

“My sympathy is especially strong for cancer patients.

“Although we have a good local chemotherapy service, radiotherapy is another matter.

“Of its nature, radiotherapy requires daily treatments for up to six weeks.

“Our nearest centre is Swansea, which is a five-hour round trip.

“Consider what it must be like to spend 150 hours on the road while feeling nauseated and weak.

“Inadequate hospice care provision is the elephant in the foyer for the whole of the UK health service, and needs to be funded centrally.”

On the plus side Dr Campbell added: “We provide obstetrics, paediatrics, medicine, general surgery and orthopaedics for inpatients.

“Most other specialities have visiting consultants providing outpatient services.

“We also do outpatient kidney dialysis and have a scanner for osteoporosis.

“Our emergency X-rays at night get reported online within the hour by specialists in Australia. Our medical IT provision is first class.

“Bronglais is tiny but mighty."

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