People across west Wales are being encouraged by the NHS and some councils to care for loved ones at home to free up beds.
The plea comes from Hywel Dda University Health Board, the Welsh Ambulance Service and councils in Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion amid unprecedented demand.
Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Health, Russell George MS, said:
“You know we are in the midst of a health service crisis when families are asked to care for loved ones because there aren’t enough beds in hospitals.
“But not everyone is fortunate enough to have family living close by to step in and help. People might have come to Wales to retire, leaving their families behind, or children might have moved out of Wales for work.
“It is beyond me that Labour ministers in Cardiff Bay still can’t bring themselves to admit our health service is in crisis, especially as this is a major problem of their own making.
“This latest plea, along with yesterday’s news of Wales recording its worst ever A&E waits, slow ambulance responses and the longest treatment waiting times, is a result of Labour’s mismanagement of the NHS for more than 20 years.
“People pay their taxes in the expectation that public services perform well but we are not seeing that in Wales. Now is the time for Labour to admit to their mistakes and take action.”