Charity

Blood cancer specialists ‘overstretched and understaffed’ in Wales

Published

13 hours ago

September 26, 2024

ALMOST three quarters of haematology consultants in Wales will near retirement age in the next decade, with a critical shortfall of replacements, a charity warned.

Blood Cancer UK (BCUK) launched an action plan, entitled ‘Taking blood cancer out of the shadows’, at the Pierhead in Cardiff Bay on September 24

Ceri Bygrave, a consultant haematologist at the University Hospital of Wales, Heath, Cardiff, was part of the charity’s task force which produced the recommendations.

Dr Bygrave said: “The haematology workforce is overstretched and understaffed, with critical staff shortages and increasingly complex treatments leaving people delivering NHS blood cancer care under major pressure.

“This is a particular challenge in Wales where by 2032, 74% of permanent haematology consultants will reach the age of 60 with a shortfall in trainees to replace them.”

Dr Bygrave said: “The crumbling NHS infrastructure that exists in Wales and a woeful IT infrastructure that lags a long way behind other centres in England are all things that compromise blood cancer patient care on a daily basis.

“To improve blood cancer survival, future NHS workforce plans must include an increase in the number of and support for blood cancer clinical nurse specialists, as well as action to turn around the drop in the number of clinicians doing blood cancer research.”

Helen Rowntree, the charity’s chief executive, said huge strides have been made in research in the past 60 years but blood cancer remains the UK’s third largest cancer killer.

Ms Rowntree said: “Needless lives are being lost and for those living with blood cancer there’s a real fear that they’re not getting the best care and support.

“The blood cancer community deserves better. The drivers of better survival in high-performing countries urgently need to be understood and implemented.”

Sam Rowlands, the Conservatives’ shadow health secretary, said blood cancer requires more attention in Wales as he called for targeted intervention.

Mr Rowlands said: “Barely half of cancer patients are receiving treatment within the 62-day target time in Labour-run Wales and there is no clear trend of improvement.

“The action plan from BCUK provides a blueprint for bold action, the fact that only one hospital in the whole of Wales provides groundbreaking CAR-T therapy isn’t good enough.

“If we boost staffing levels as the Conservatives have proposed and invest in provision, we can also put forward a faster diagnostic standard, as is the case in England, of 28 days.

“We should also have more ambition in collecting information on cancer treatments in Wales to perfect treatments and improve prospects.”

David Rees, who sponsored the event and chairs the Senedd’s cross-party group on cancer, described the charity’s report as sobering.

He said the report highlights the complexity in diagnostics and treatment which often leads to missed early diagnosis, treatment disparities within Wales and gaps in clinical expertise.

The Labour MS for Aberavon added: “I know that there are issues involved in data collection for blood cancer too, which can help inform good clinical practice and patient pathways.”

Mr Rees said: “Patients across Wales need to have confidence … that when they present themselves to their GP or A&E department, the diagnostic services are available and can deliver timely data that can lead to early treatment.

“Patients should expect no less.”

He pledged to keep pressure on ministers to act on expert reports, saying he was confident two Labour governments can together meet the challenge of modernising the NHS.

Research found 29% of people with blood cancer in Wales visited their GP three or more times before diagnosis, with BCUK warning delays can have devastating consequences.

The charity also raised concerns that nearly 30% of blood cancer patients in Wales do not know who their clinical nurse specialist is.

The Welsh Government highlighted a 50% increase in haematology specialty and associate specialist doctors, and a 9% increase in consultants over the past decade.

A spokesman said: “We have made cancer one of the NHS’s top planning priorities and have launched a national programme to support recovery in cancer waiting times.

“We have received the charity’s blood cancer action plan and are considering the implications for our approach in Wales.”

Charity

Bannister Trust’s final year of funding marks a milestone in woodland conservation

Published

3 days ago

September 23, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE Pembrokeshire Coast Charitable Trust has received the final instalment of £10,000 from the Bannister Trust, concluding a generous £30,000 donation over three years that has supported critical woodland conservation efforts throughout the National Park. This funding has played a significant role in enhancing Pembrokeshire’s natural landscapes, supporting biodiversity, and protecting vital habitats.

Over the past year, the Bannister Trust’s contributions have enabled a variety of projects that have benefited a wide array of wildlife, while striking a crucial balance between expanding woodland cover and preserving other vital habitats. These efforts not only support carbon sequestration and biodiversity, but also foster ecological resilience.

Katie Macro, Director of the Pembrokeshire Coast Charitable Trust, said: “We are deeply thankful to the Bannister Trust for their unwavering support. Their generosity has enabled us to undertake vital conservation projects that focus on natural regeneration and new plantings. Each initiative has been designed to meet the specific needs of diverse species, playing a crucial role in protecting and restoring the ecosystem as a whole.”

Achievements of 2024 include planting over 2,000 native trees near Goodwick and establishing a 270-metre streamside corridor near Lamphey. Tools were also provided to staff and volunteers at Carew Castle to maintain recently planted trees and restored hedgerows, ensuring dark flyways for its internationally important bat population.

Rhosfach, a crucial habitat for the marsh fritillary butterfly and willow tit, saw the installation of fencing to protect willow woodlands, while allowing traditional Dexter cattle to graze the marshy grasslands. At, a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Mynachlogddu, traditional cattle grazing was reintroduced, with fencing protecting natural tree regeneration and a shelterbelt that benefits wildlife, serves as a biosecurity barrier, and connects riverine woodlands for otters.

Other accomplishments this year include planting 100 trees at Strumble Head to enhance habitat connectivity, and linking a species rich valley at Pontfaen to ancient woodland SSSIs nearby through the restoration of 90 metres of hedgerow.

Katie Macro added: “These activities will not only sustain the gains made in previous years but will also ensure that Pembrokeshire’s woodland and hedgerow habitats continue to thrive for generations to come. The Bannister Trust’s support has been pivotal in driving these efforts, and we look forward to completing these projects with the final instalment of their generous funding.”

Plans for the coming year focus on enhancing habitat connectivity and supporting key species across several locations. New hedges and in-field trees will be planted around the Preseli Hills to create a crucial flyway between Pengelli Forest and the Eastern Cleddau, with the aim of connecting two breeding populations of barbastelle bat, the only ones known in Wales. At Freshwater East and Cresselly, hedgerow expansions will improve habitats for the rare brown hairstreak butterfly, while wider hedgerows at Roch will provide additional habitat for the yellowhammer, a species of conservation concern.

Additional efforts will include planting roadside trees and new hedges at Abereiddi and Amroth to link existing hedgerow schemes, along with in-field planting at Strumble Head to create a more diverse landscape of meadows and trees. It’s hoped that new hedges at Mynachlogddu and Puncheston will support willow tits and protect SSSI sites from agricultural impacts. And finally, there are plans for tree planting at Brynberian to connect Tŷ Canol Nature Reserve to other woodland sites, forming wildlife corridors vital for species movement and genetic diversity.

To learn more about the work of the Pembrokeshire Coast Charitable Trust and other conservation projects it supports throughout the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, please visit https://pembrokeshirecoasttrust.wales/.

Charity

Local RNLI crews honour local heroes before annual rugby match

Published

4 days ago

September 22, 2024

Tom Sinclair

IN a heartfelt tribute to local heroes, the first match of the annual Willington Slate rugby trophy was held yesterday at Pembroke RFC, featuring a unique display of sportsmanship and remembrance.

The match, now a key fixture in the local rugby calendar, is celebrated with a the passing of the rugby ball between the St Davids to Angle Lifeboat RNLI teams during a poignant training exercise.

The Willington Slate rugby trophy commemorates Gareth and Daniel Willington, a father and son duo who tragically lost their lives on 28 April 2016. Their vessel, the Harvester, sank near St Davids Head, prompting a large-scale rescue operation. On that fateful day, RNLI teams from St Davids, Angle, and Fishguard launched multiple lifeboats, including the Tyne, Tamar, and Trent classes, in a valiant effort to aid the stricken fishermen.

“It is our honour to participate in this commemoration,” said a spokesperson from the RNLI, reflecting the deep emotional connection between the lifeboat community and the annual event.

The tribute at Pembroke RFC not only highlights the bravery of those who risk their lives at sea but also serves as a reminder of the strong bonds within these coastal communities.

Charity

Welsh RNLI Lifeboat stations gear up for RNLI 200th anniversary scroll relay

Published

1 week ago

September 19, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is set to mark its 200th anniversary in 2024 with a unique relay-style event involving its stations and shops across Wales. Throughout September and October, RNLI locations in Wales will participate in the ‘Connecting our Communities’ event, a key part of the bicentenary celebrations.

This commemorative relay features a scroll bearing the RNLI pledge, which is being passed through RNLI communities—including lifeboat stations, shops, lifeguard units, and fundraising branches—across the UK and Ireland. At each stop along its journey, representatives from the RNLI will sign the scroll, reinforcing the charity’s commitment to saving lives at sea.

The scroll’s journey through Wales includes visits to numerous RNLI stations and shops, with the schedule as follows:

Penarth Lifeboat Station: 20 September
Barry Island Visitor Centre and Shop: 21 September
Port Talbot Lifeboat Station: 21 September 2024
Burry Port Lifeboat Station: 22 September
Saundersfoot Shop: 23 September
Tenby Lifeboat Station: 23 September
Little and Broad Haven Lifeboat Station: 25 September
St Davids Lifeboat Station: 25 September
Fishguard Lifeboat Station: 26 September
Cardigan Lifeboat Station: 26 September
Aberaeron Fundraising Branch: 27 September
Aberystwyth Lifeboat Station: 27 September
Aberdyfi Lifeboat Station: 28 September
Barmouth Lifeboat Station: 28 September
Abersoch Lifeboat Station: 29 September
Pwllheli Lifeboat Station: 29 September
Moelfre Seawatch Centre: 2 October
Beaumaris Lifeboat Station: 2 October
Conwy Lifeboat Station: 11 October
Llandudno Lifeboat Station: 12 October
Rhyl Lifeboat Station: 12 October

This event offers an opportunity for the RNLI community to come together in celebration of the charity’s two centuries of service. Established in 1824, the RNLI has saved countless lives through its search and rescue operations along the coastlines of the UK and Ireland. The scroll relay serves not only as a commemoration of the RNLI’s rich history but also as a reaffirmation of its ongoing mission to save lives at sea.

The RNLI continues to rely on the generosity of the public and the dedication of its volunteers to maintain its vital life-saving operations. As the organisation approaches this milestone anniversary, it is inviting communities across Wales and beyond to participate in the celebrations and support its ongoing work.