News
Extra £40m for Welsh NHS
THE WELSH GOVERNMENT is allocating an extra £40m to the Welsh NHS in 2014-15 to help it deal with winter pressures, Finance Minister Jane Hutt announced yesterday (Jan 15). The extra investment, which comes from the Welsh Government’s reserves, follows the announcement that an additional £200m is being allocated to the Welsh NHS in 2014-15. The £40m investment is the equivalent amount for Wales to the additional £700m the UK Government has given to NHS England to help it deal with winter pressures.
The Welsh NHS – like health services across the UK – has experienced sustained pressure over the Christmas and New Year period as a result of increased demand from an influx of sick patients. Pressures on the NHS in Wales have included: GP out-of-hour services experienced their busiest festive period since they were established;
The Welsh Ambulance Service saw a significant rise in the most criticallyill patients using its services, with unprecedented levels of demand over recent weeks; Hospital emergency departments across Wales have reported an increase in admissions of patients with acute conditions, complex needs and dependency.
Finance Minister Jane Hutt told The Herald: “The additional £40m I’m announcing today means that in 2014- 15, the Welsh NHS will have received nearly a quarter of a billion pounds in extra investment to deliver high-quality, sustainable health services. “With an additional £295m being invested in 2015-16, which includes the £70m revenue funding as a result of the Autumn Statement, it means increased investment in our Welsh NHS of more than half a billion pounds over two years.
“This demonstrates our clear commitment to a sustainable NHS in Wales based on the reforms outlined in the Nuffield report.” Welcoming the additional investment, Health and Social Services Minister Mark Drakeford said: “This additional investment in our health service will help our NHS deal with the significant pressures the service is facing – pressures that are being experienced across the UK as a result of increased demand from an influx of sick patients. “Winter is a very busy period for our health, social care and social services – but our urgent and emergency care services, in particular, are seeing significant extra demand on their services.”
“I want to thank staff who are working tirelessly, often in difficult situations, to ensure that those people who have needed urgent and emergency care have received high-quality treatment and services and have been treated with care and compassion.” Speaking during a visit to Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr, in Ystrad Mynach today, Deputy Health Minister Vaughan Gething said: “The public can help the NHS by choosing well and considering whether they need to go to A&E when they are injured or unwell or whether another local health service can help or if they can look after themselves with advice from NHS Direct Wales. “Choosing well means people get the best treatment for their particular condition and allows busy NHS services to help people who need them most at this time.”
Community
Tractor run lights up Pembrokeshire and raises funds for charity
THE PEMBROKESHIRE ILLUMINATED TRACTOR RUN took place today (Dec 21), raising funds for two vital charities: the Catrin Vaughan Foundation and Wales Air Ambulance.
Starting at Clarbeston Road AFC at 6:00pm, the brightly lit convoy of nearly 200 tractors made its way through Withybush Hospital and Haverfordwest High Street before finishing at the Pembrokeshire County Showground.
The annual event has become a highlight of the festive calendar, drawing large crowds to witness the spectacle of tractors adorned with colourful lights and decorations.
Funds raised from the event will support the Catrin Vaughan Foundation, which provides crucial assistance to families facing hardship, and the Wales Air Ambulance, delivering life-saving emergency medical care across the region.
Organisers praised the dedication of local farmers and volunteers, whose commitment ensures the event’s continued success year after year.
(Image: Nia Marshall/Facebook)
Business
Ferry Terminal ‘extremely busy’ due to ongoing Holyhead closure
PEMBROKE DOCK Ferry Terminal has been experiencing significant congestion today as ferry services remain under immense pressure following the closure of Holyhead Port earlier this month.
The disruption, caused by storm damage, has rerouted ferry traffic through Pembrokeshire, leading to long queues and crowded facilities at the terminal.
The Herald can confirm that it has been very busy today with cars, lorries, and foot passengers queuing in large numbers. Staff are working tirelessly to manage the influx, directing vehicles and assisting passengers as they prepare to board the heavily booked ferries.
A spokesperson for the Port of Milford Haven said: “We are working closely with ferry operators and local authorities to ensure traffic flows as smoothly as possible, but the sheer volume of vehicles is causing unavoidable delays.”
Travelers are being urged to arrive early for their sailings and to remain patient as the terminal operates at full capacity.
Both Stena Line and Irish Ferries have increased capacity on their Pembrokeshire routes, deploying larger vessels, including the Stena Adventurer and the MV James Joyce, to handle the surge in demand.
From our position at the terminal, our photographer has captured photos showing long lines of vehicles, groups of foot passengers carrying luggage, and port staff coordinating efforts to ease congestion.
Authorities are advising non-essential travelers to consider rescheduling their journeys where possible and to monitor updates from ferry operators closely.
(Photos: Martin Cavaney/Herald)
Community
Festive celebrations at St Davids Cathedral this weekend
ST DAVIDS Cathedral is set to host two special events on Sunday (Dec 22), offering a blend of joyful participation and traditional carol singing to mark the Christmas season.
In the morning, families are invited to the Scratch Nativity at 11:00am. Attendees are encouraged to come dressed as wise men, angels, sheep, or shepherds and take part in an unrehearsed retelling of the Christmas story. Canon Leigh described the event as: “Complete, wonderful chaos for an hour… but with some poignant, thought-provoking moments to centre ourselves on the real meaning of Christmas.”
Later in the evening, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols by Candlelight will take place at 7:00pm, featuring the Cathedral Choir. The event, steeped in tradition, will see the cathedral bathed in candlelight as carols and scripture readings fill the historic space.
Doors will open at 5:45pm for those seeking unreserved seating, and a large turnout is expected for this beloved Christmas celebration.
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