Health

Lymphoedema patients to benefit from online mental health support

Published

1 year ago

January 21, 2025

NHS Wales’ digital wellbeing service has teamed up with a pioneering clinic to help patients manage the mental health impacts of Lymphoedema and Lipalgia Syndrome.

The Lymphoedema Wales Clinical Network (LWCN) established a psychological support service – the only one of its kind in the UK – after patients spoke of the emotional challenges of living with these conditions.

Patients revealed how their physical symptoms were often accompanied by depression, anxiety and worries about appearance.

Support offered by the service’s two psychologists is now being complemented by direct referrals to SilverCloud® Wales, a suite of online, self-help courses based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).

Dr Jayne Williams, National Lymphoedema Consultant Psychologist for LWCN said: “This is an exciting time for us.

“We’re looking at different ways for people to access psychological therapies – SilverCloud being one of them. The aim is to provide timely, preventative support before people get to crisis point.

“As SilverCloud is online, it has the capacity to reach many more people than we could see face-to-face, and its flexibility means that it fits around busy work and family lives.

“Being able to offer something that patients can do in their own way, at their own pace is brilliant.”

NHS Wales online CBT project manager Fionnuala Clayton said the new referral pathway was inspired in part by feedback from a ‘Living Well with Lymphoedema’ event hosted by LWCN, where patients were asked what they would like from its emerging psychology service.

“Patients wanted to feel as though they were not alone and that they still had a healthy and happy life despite their condition,” said Fionnuala. “They wanted easy access to support for building resilience alongside help to help themselves.

“Coming away from the event, we knew a referral pathway would support many patients across Wales.”

Lipalgia Syndrome – also known as Lipoedema – is an abnormal build-up of adipose fatty tissue, usually in the lower half of the body, which more commonly affects women.

Lymphoedema is another incurable, long-term condition which develops due to a damaged or poorly-functioning lymphatic system. Damage can occur as a result of many factors including obesity, surgery, cancer treatment, infection or injury.

People who are sedentary are particularly vulnerable as the lymphatic system relies on movement to remain healthy and move the lymph fluid around the body. Symptoms include swollen and painful heavy limbs and a higher risk of skin infections and wounds.

Said Dr Williams: “These are conditions that people have to learn to live alongside forever, which can be incredibly difficult.

“They have to cope with swelling and pain, they may have to wear compression bandages or garments, carry out daily skin care routines and do lots of movement.

“We see lots of people with very low mood. There’s also a lot of anxiety around body image and intimacy.

“Feeling people are judging you, and perhaps not being able to find clothes or shoes that fit you, means your whole identity and your social confidence can be affected. You can feel more isolated and withdrawn.”

Around 25,000 people across Wales use LWCN services.

Local health board lymphoedema services can refer people to the psychology service within the National Lymphoedema Team, which is hosted by Swansea Bay University Health Board.

Dr Williams said several patients had been referred to SilverCloud’s Space for Positive Body Image programme after attending a body image workshop.

Other courses on offer include support for anxiety, depression and stress.

Anyone in Wales aged 16 or over can self-refer to SilverCloud, without seeing a GP and from the comfort of their own home.

Fionnuala Clayton added: “We’re delighted to onboard the Lymphoedema Wales Clinical Network. This has been a collaborative effort between services, working together to identify how best support patients living with Lipalgia Syndrome and Lymphoedema.”

For further information and support on Lymphoedema and Lipalgia Syndrome, visit https://lwcn.nhs.wales/

To self-refer to SilverCloud Wales, visit https://nhswales.silvercloudhealth.com/signup/

Health

Welsh Ambulance Service to host bi-monthly Board meeting

Published

1 day ago

March 13, 2026

Tom Sinclair

THE WELSH AMBULANCE SERVICE is preparing to host its bi-monthly Board meeting – and the public are invited.

Join the meeting on Thursday 26 March via Microsoft Teams to hear senior leaders cover a full agenda, including approval of the Integrated Medium-Term Plan for 2026-29, which outlines what the organisation will prioritise and deliver, how it will use its resources and how it will continue to improve care for the people of Wales over the next three years.

Board members will approve the initial revenue budget for the year ahead and receive an update on current financial performance.

The Board will also hear from Mr Clarke from Cwmbran, who describes an experience of trying to access help via 999 for his late father who was terminally ill.

There will also be an opportunity to pose a question to the Board.

Chair Colin Dennis said: “Board meetings give you the opportunity to really get to know our ambulance service, with a clear view of how important decisions are shaped and the processes behind them.

“They also create a forum to hear directly about ongoing work, explore how we can strengthen support for the Trust’s staff and patients, and connect with the people responsible for shaping those decisions.”

Click here to watch the Board meeting on Thursday 26 March 2026 from 9.30am.

This link will be active from 10 minutes before the meeting starts.

To pre-submit a question, please email [email protected] by no later than Wednesday 25 March 2026.An agenda will be available on the Trust’s website in the days prior to the meeting.

Health

Pharmacies carry out record number of consultations for common health issues

Published

1 day ago

March 13, 2026

Tom Sinclair

PHARMACIES across Wales carried out more than 600,000 clinical consultations for a wide range of common health issues over the last twelve months, according to the latest community pharmacy services statistics.

Almost 346,000 people used the Common Ailments Service, which offers free advice and treatment for twenty-seven common conditions and is available in ninety-nine per cent of pharmacies across Wales.

Figures covering April 2024 to March 2025 show that more than 462,000 Common Ailments Service consultations took place during the period – the highest number ever recorded.

The most frequent reasons people sought help from their local pharmacy included sore throats, hay fever, conjunctivitis and dermatitis.

Pharmacies also carried out more than 53,000 consultations specifically for sore throat treatment, around 33,000 consultations for contraception advice and treatment, and over 121,000 consultations to provide emergency supplies of medicines.

During those emergency consultations pharmacists issued more than 189,000 prescription-only medicines to patients who had run out of medication and were unable to obtain a new prescription in time.

In addition to these consultations, pharmacies across Wales dispensed more than eighty million prescription items over the same twelve-month period.

The Common Ailments Service allows people to receive treatment closer to home while helping free up GP appointments for patients with more complex or urgent medical needs.

Health Secretary Jeremy Miles said: “Community pharmacies play a vital role in providing healthcare across Wales.

“Nearly half a million consultations in a single year shows just how much people value being able to walk into their local pharmacy and get the help they need quickly, without having to wait for a GP appointment.

“We are working to ensure more people can receive convenient care closer to home, and expanding access to these services is a key part of that.

“The right care, in the right place, at the right time — that is what people in Wales want, and what our pharmacies are delivering.”

Community

Lessons from COVID-19 highlight need to strengthen voluntary sector resilience

Published

1 day ago

March 13, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A NEW report has urged the Welsh Government to work more closely with voluntary organisations to ensure communities are better prepared for future emergencies.

The call comes from the Senedd’s Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee, which examined how lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic have shaped Wales’ current emergency planning.

The report highlights the crucial role played by voluntary groups during the pandemic, particularly in supporting vulnerable people and responding quickly to rising community needs.

Clair Swales, Chief Executive of the Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations (PAVO), welcomed the committee’s findings and its recommendation that government bodies strengthen collaboration with the voluntary sector and commissioning organisations.

The recommendation includes making greater use of long-term funding arrangements to support infrastructure investment and improve the sector’s ability to respond to sudden surges in demand during emergencies.

Giving evidence to the committee last November, Swales warned that continued financial pressures across the sector could weaken its ability to respond effectively in future crises.

She said: “If I was asked to bring the third sector together to respond to an emergency at this moment, I could. However, future involvement may become more challenging as the sector continues to face significant financial and capacity pressures.”

The committee’s report, published on Tuesday (Mar 11), explored how the Welsh Government and public bodies responded to the pandemic and what improvements have been made since.

It also considered findings from Module 1 of the UK COVID-19 Inquiry, which examined resilience and preparedness across the UK.

Swales said the report recognises that the work carried out by voluntary organisations during the pandemic came at a significant cost to the sector.

She added: “Evidence from a number of voluntary organisations shows the sector is facing considerable funding and resource challenges.

“We will continue to work with commissioners and the Powys third sector to maximise opportunities, represent the sector’s voice in policy and investment discussions, and ensure rural communities are considered when funding and commissioning services.”