A warning has been issued to anyone misusing Tenby Cottage Hospital car park that abuse of the facility will not be tolerated, after ‘extremely concerning’ examples of vulnerable patients and elderly people being unable to pull up due to inconsiderate parking were highlighted.

Staff members of the hospital which is located on Gas Lane have listed a catalogue of concerns where the car park has been constantly abused in recent months by people not requiring treatment or visiting the premises, with parking spaces filled up by motorists not even visiting the facility.

Pembrokeshire County Council’s biggest public car park for Tenby sits only yards away from the hospital, with access to the resort’s North Beach only yards away.

Yet that has not stopped unauthorised parking taking place at the hospital car park, with the issues escalating since Covid-19 lockdown and travel restrictions were lifted into this summer.

“This has been a problem since the nurse led walk in centre reopened a few years ago,” said one NHS staff member who contacted the Observer.

“Elderly and patients with poor mobility are turning up to appointments unable to park and are having to pay in the public car park!

“Some are turning up very distressed which in turn is upsetting the staff. On one occasion an elderly lady who was attending the chest clinic turned up distressed with shortness of breath after having to walk from the public car park.”

Reports have been made of local residents parking at the hospital car park, just to walk into town, with others parking there to go swimming on the North Beach or for the purpose of walking their dogs.

A CCTV system is in place at the facility.

“Tourists are turning up parking all day and unloading their cars to go to the beach, even camper vans have camped overnight leaving piles of rubbish!“ continued the concerned staff member.

“The car park is so crowded on occasion that ambulances and hospital transport are even unable to park.

“One of the biggest issues is that staff from another private business unconnected to the health board are using it as their own personal car park.

“They have been asked on several occasions not to use the car park but have been abusive to hospital staff in the process!

“It is a sad indictment that those who abuse this car park are willing to cause such distress to vulnerable patients, as well as denying staff the right to park in their place of work,” they added.

Mansel Thomas, acting chair of local campaign group the South East Pembrokeshire Community Health Network (SEPCHN) told the Observer that the matter was ‘extremely concerning’.

“The local community fought for many years to see the health and social care facilities at Tenby Cottage Hospital constructed to effectively support residents, so to see the facility being misused in this way is extremely worrying, and concerning to hear of the parking problems being experienced by patients and visitors attending because of inconsiderate parking,” he said.

“The community was involved in the planning of the hospital and one of the key issues was the need for adequate parking facilities, especially as the hospital also caters for people from a large rural area of south east Pembrokeshire and so adequate parking facilities are an essential aspect of the hospital site.

“SEPCHN has of course, because of the pandemic, been unable to meet to discuss the matter because of the pandemic but those aware of the situation are very concerned. It is not possible at the present time to envisage a time when such a meeting will be able to take place.

“I have contacted the Hywel Dda University Health Board, Director for Pembrokeshire, Elaine Lorton and explained the nature of the problem and expressed the views of many local residents that a solution needs to be found soon.

“Having elderly and infirm patients having to struggle to get to the hospital because of parking problems is concerning. A solution must be found to the problem as soon as possible,” he added.

Pembrokeshire County Director for Hywel Dda University Health Board Elaine Lorton said: “We would like to appeal to the public to please be considerate towards patients and hospital staff and not park in the hospital car park.

“The nearby North Beach car park provides all day parking for those wishing to use the beach.

“The Health Board will not tolerate abusive behaviour towards our staff and patients. “Abusive behaviour not only puts healthcare workers at risk, but prevents them from doing their job of caring for others.

“We continue to encourage staff to report incidents of violence and aggression.”