Health

Call for overhaul of ‘unsustainable’ GP funding model

Published

4 weeks ago

November 7, 2024

SENEDD members added their voices to a chorus of calls for fair funding for GPs after more than 21,000 people across Wales signed a petition.

Carolyn Thomas led a debate on the petition submitted by the British Medical Association (BMA) as part of the professional body’s “Save our Surgeries” campaign.

The Labour politician, who chairs the petitions committee, attended a meeting with GPs and told the Senedd their message was clear: the current funding model is unsustainable.

She said: “Over the last two decades, while the number of face-to-face appointments, digital contacts and phone calls has risen, the complexity of the work has been transformed, expenses have risen, and the cost of premises has leapt up.

“Yet the share of the health budget spent on GP services has shrunk..”

Ms Thomas, who represents North Wales added: “In some areas, recruitment and retention is the main worry but in others it’s the crumbling fabric of buildings. In others, it is the rapidly ageing population or a growing workload that isn’t matched by an equivalent rise in capacity.

“But underlying all of these is money to pay for the services that we all want to see.”

Sam Rowlands, the Conservatives’ shadow health secretary, said 8% of NHS Wales funding goes to GPs which is lower than levels from 2005/06.

Mr Rowlands pointed out that more than 100 surgeries have closed in the past 12 years.

Plaid Cymru’s Heledd Fychan criticised “huge underinvestment” over the past decade, telling the Senedd that Wales remains 500 GPs short of the OECD average.

She said: “There were 372 GP services in Wales at the end of June, which is 14 fewer than when the BMA launched the ‘Save Our Surgeries’ campaign. It is clear, therefore, that these consistent warnings about a shortage of provision … have fallen on deaf ears.”

Ms Fychan, who represents South Wales Central, raised concerns about big companies, often located outside Wales, stepping into the market for GP services.

She said: “In the Aneurin Bevan area, eHarleyStreet is a clear example of this. This continues with the damaging trend of profits being taken out of the health system into private pockets, and also makes the provision vulnerable.”

Her Plaid Cymru colleague Luke Fletcher raised a BMA survey that found nearly four out of five locum GPs cannot find work despite patient waiting times hitting record highs.

He said: “That’s in England but here in Wales the symptoms of the same crisis have been visible for a while, yet the data doesn’t seem to be available….

“Anecdotally, I’ve been told of locums in Wales looking to other fields. Some are considering jobs in retail and driving taxis. At a time when we’re crying out for GPs and we all accept that there’s a shortage of GPs – this situation is madness.”

Warning services are in chaos, the Conservatives’ Laura Anne Jones raised concerns about a survey showing 37% of Welsh GPs may leave the profession within five years.

Julie Morgan said she has heard the same story from surgeries in her constituency: “They’re struggling to maintain safe levels of service and worried about being able to continue.”

The former minister told the Senedd that Cardiff North is in the bottom 1% of funded practices in the UK due to the “outdated” Carr-Hill formula used to calculate funding.

Jenny Rathbone, a fellow Labour backbencher, highlighted the Deep End Cymru project, which aims to support 100 practices in the most deprived areas.

Jane Dodds, the Liberal Democrats’ leader in Wales, raised concerns about staff welfare and reiterated calls for a premium to recognise the significant challenges for GPs in rural areas.

Responding to the debate on November 6, Jeremy Miles said surgeries in Wales see an astonishing number of patients with around 1.5 million every month.

Wales’ health secretary stressed: “I want to reassure GPs that we have heard the messages about the huge demands and the pressure on staff welfare.”

Mr Miles said ministers have chosen to commit £1bn over this Senedd term to clear the backlog and reduce waiting times following the pandemic.

He told the Senedd: “By necessity, this means that a larger proportion of funding has gone to secondary care. Redressing this imbalance will be a priority for future funding decisions.

“And we are committed to the principle of providing more care closer to home.”

Health

Health concerns as banned American candy floods UK markets

Published

2 hours ago

December 3, 2024

Tom Sinclair

PARENTS are being warned this festive season about the dangers of imported American sweets, snacks, and fizzy drinks, which are flooding UK high streets thanks to social media trends. The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) has raised alarms over unauthorised additives in these products, many of which fail to meet UK safety standards.

A growing trend, a hidden danger

Social media platforms like TikTok have popularised American confectionery, with influencers showcasing brightly coloured snacks in viral “candy haul” videos. This has made imported sweets a sought-after stocking filler for children and teenagers, driving record sales in convenience stores and high-street retailers.

However, this sugary trend comes with a bitter side. Many of these products, designed for foreign markets, bypass UK safety and legal standards. They often lack proper allergen declarations and contain harmful, unauthorised additives.

Major safety failures highlighted

A pilot project led by Staffordshire County Council’s Trading Standards team, funded by the Food Standards Agency, uncovered alarming issues. Inspectors seized 3,378 items valued at £8,500 from local shops. Tests revealed the presence of dangerous additives, including:

Yellow 6 (E110): Found in snacks, linked to hyperactivity in children.
Carrageenan: Common in jelly cups, posing a choking hazard.
EDTA: Prohibited in drinks, associated with developmental issues in animal studies.

Among the inspected stores, 89% failed to comply with UK regulations. Common violations included:

Products with unauthorised additives.
Missing English labels or allergen warnings.
Expired items being sold.

In total, 3,700 non-compliant products valued at £10,300 were confiscated, including crisps with E110, sweets with mineral oil and bleached flour, and drinks containing EDTA.

A national problem

The issue extends beyond Staffordshire. Operation Tootsie, a broader Trading Standards initiative, revealed that 77% of tested products from national retailers failed compliance checks, rising to 91% among importers.

Dean Cooke, CTSI Lead Officer for Food, said: “Social media has amplified the demand for American sweets. While retailers enjoy seasonal sales, they must ensure products meet UK standards. Parents should check labels to protect children from harmful additives.”

He also reminded consumers to avoid products without a UK/GB address on the label, as these fail to meet import labelling laws.

Councillor Victoria Wilson, Cabinet Member for Trading Standards at Staffordshire County Council, highlighted the seriousness of the issue:
“Our Trading Standards team was alarmed to find thousands of unsafe products on sale, often aimed at children. Poor labelling and unauthorised ingredients pose significant public health risks.”

The Pembrokeshire Herald advises that local consumers scrutinise labels carefully. Products with American weight measurements, such as ounces, are likely imports. These must meet UK safety standards, including accurate allergen declarations.

Anyone concerned about food safety in Wales can contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline at 0808 223 1133.

This Christmas, Trading Standards is ramping up operations to tackle the influx of unsafe goods. Parents are advised to stay vigilant and prioritise safety when filling stockings with festive treats.

Health

Lockdown lifted at Withybush Hospital following incident

Published

3 hours ago

December 3, 2024

Tom Sinclair

WITHYBUSH HOSPITAL in Haverfordwest was placed under lockdown earlier today (Tuesday, Dec 3) as a precaution following a potential threat. The lockdown, which temporarily restricted access to the site, has now been lifted, with services resuming across the hospital.

Hywel Dda University Health Board confirmed that no one was harmed during the incident and that police provided assistance on-site. A spokesperson for the health board stated:

“Lockdown procedures were put in place at Withybush Hospital as a precaution for staff and patient safety.

“No one was harmed, and police assisted on-site. The site followed established lockdown procedures due to a potential threat.

“Access to the site and the hospital was restricted for a short period of time. This situation is now resolved, and access to the site has been re-established.

“We would like to thank staff, patients, and our partners for their assistance in managing this situation.”

The Emergency Department at Withybush Hospital remains busy, and members of the public are being urged to attend only for life-threatening emergencies. For non-urgent medical advice, people are encouraged to use the NHS Wales symptom checker online or contact NHS 111 Wales.

Dyfed-Powys Police said in a statement: “We have been in attendance at Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest.

“The force was contacted at around 11.00am, reporting that a potential threat had been received.

“Enquiries quickly established that the threat was a hoax.

“A woman has been detained under the Mental Health Act and enquiries are ongoing.”

Patients with cancelled appointments are being contacted as staff work to rearrange disrupted schedules.

Health

Hywel Dda appoints new Deputy Chief Executive Officer

Published

6 hours ago

December 3, 2024

Tom Sinclair

HYWEL DDA University Health Board has today announced the appointment of Lisa Gostling as its Deputy Chief Executive Officer.

Lisa has held the role of Deputy Chief Executive at the health board on an interim basis since February this year, pending the appointment of a substantive Chief Executive Officer, which was announced in October.

Professor Phil Kloer, Chief Executive Officer, at Hywel Dda said: “I am delighted that, following a competitive process, Lisa is appointed to the post of Deputy Chief Executive Officer, a responsibility that she will hold in addition to her post of Executive Director of Workforce and Organisational Development.”

Lisa relocated from the West Midlands to Pembrokeshire and developed her career within the workforce and organisational development teams at the Health Board. She has worked for Hywel Dda and its predecessor organisations since 1993.

Since 2015, she has been a member of the Executive team and Board as Director of Workforce and Organisational Development. Since February this year, she also held the role of interim Deputy Chief Executive Officer. She holds a CIPD qualification from Sandwell College and is a keen Welsh learner.

Phil continues: “Lisa’s innovative approach to recruitment and to staff development has been of great benefit to our health board – including the development of our culture and values that shapes our work every day, and the establishment of the Apprenticeship Program that has seen us enable several local people to join our Hywel Dda teams and develop their career with us.

“Lisa has also been instrumental in supporting our work to reduce our dependency upon agency staffing and building our substantive workforce – ensuring greater sustainability and quality in our teams.

“I look forward to continuing to work with Lisa in her new role and wish her every success for the future.”

Lisa Gostling, Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of Workforce and Organisational Development, added: “It is an honour to be appointed to this position and support Phil, our Board, and our teams across the health board in delivering health care for our communities.

“I look forward to building on the foundations of the past six months and working with our team of staff who are all dedicated to improving the health and well-being of current and future generations.”