Man's 11-month wait for pain treatment (From Western Telegraph)

Man's 11-month wait for pain treatment

THE lack of anaesthetists in the county has left a Pembroke man and many more like him waiting for much-needed treatment.

Bri Edwards was left with severe and chronic pain following a car accident in 1996 and regular treatment at Withybush Hospital's pain management clinic has provided essential relief.

"The treatment I get should be every six to eight months and it allows me to conduct a life," said Mr Edwards, who suffers from Facett Joint Arthritis.

But after waiting seven months for treatment, Mr Edwards has been told he is currently 43rd on the waiting list and will have to wait a further 11 months before being seen.

"People all over Pembrokeshire are in agony, because they cannot get the pain clinic service together," he said "It's intolerable."

Despite accusations that the hospital is prioritising other services ahead of the clinic, Withybush says the problem is simply down to staff numbers.

"We currently have a shortage of anaesthetists and have so far been unsuccessful in our attempts at recruitment," a trust spokesman explained.

Subsequently, the trust has been unable to increase the time anaesthetist consultant, Dr Bryant, spends on the service, but confirmed its intention to do so once further anaesthetists are in post.

"In the meantime, we have been able to increase the time non-consultant doctors contribute to pain management and this has improved the continuity and capacity of the service," the spokesman added.

Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire MP, Nick Ainger, said Mr Edwards' case simply highlights a much wider problem.

"It's an issue not peculiar to Withybush," he said. "There's now a problem with pain management at Glangwili as well."