Health
Proton therapy centre officially opened
HEALTH Minister Vaughan Gething has set out his vision for cutting edge precision medicine to improve health and deliver a sustainable future for NHS Wales.
During, a visit to the Rutherford Cancer Centre in Newport, Mr Gething announced new strategies to transform pathology and precision therapeutics in Wales.
He said: “To address future challenges from the increasing burden of disease we must focus more on prevention, early detection and personalised targeted treatments. Precision medicine will increasingly support a more personalised approach to health and care.
“In Wales, we are already making progress in the field of precision medicine and I am confident that we can be a global player in the race to harness its potential. NHS Wales is on the cusp of realising the significant benefits that can be delivered by advances in precision medicine for patients by offering the right test or treatment at the right time.
“Our long term plan ‘A Healthier Wales’ recognises the importance of moving towards earlier detection and intervention to prevent illness and prolong independence.”
One of the first patients in the UK to receive high-energy proton beam therapy has today praised UK oncologists for embracing proton beam therapy and the transformative effects it has had on his treatment.
Ryan Scott, 23, from Cardigan in Wales, underwent treatment for a brain tumour (grade 1 craniopharyngioma) at the Rutherford Cancer Centre South Wales in Newport as part of NHS Wales’ proton beam therapy treatment pathway for adults.
Ryan Scott said: “I was very pleased when my consultant recommended proton beam therapy and told me that it was available close to home in South Wales. I was due to be treated with proton beam therapy over the course of eight weeks in the United States, a disruption I was not looking forward to. Happily, however, the agreement between NHS Wales and the Rutherford Cancer Centres was struck just in time for me to be treated a short drive from home.
“The process of undergoing proton beam therapy was much better than anticipated. There have been hardly any side effects and being able to sleep in my bed after a day’s treatment is a real plus.”
Mr Gething explained the Welsh Government had a clear vision for harnessing technology to deliver precision medicine in diagnostics and therapy that will ensure a sustainable future for NHS Wales.
“The Rutherford Cancer Centre in Newport, which was the first facility in the UK to offer proton beam therapy for cancer patients, is an excellent example of the development of new cancer therapies, here in Wales. It’s a perfect illustration of how we are working collaboratively to deliver technological innovations to improve treatment,” he said.
“Today I have published our Statement of Intent for Advanced Therapeutic Medicinal Products, which sets out how we will deliver precision therapeutics, like new cell therapies, in Wales.
“Alongside this, I have published a Statement of Intent to transform pathology services. All this builds on our recent investment in diagnostic services such as the new Imaging Academy for Wales.
“In this financial year, I am pleased to provide additional funding of £2.3m to support the delivery of new genetic tests together with a further £2m to support national plans for transforming diagnostic, health science and advanced therapeutic medical services in NHS Wales.”
Andrew Goodall, chief executive of NHS Wales, also attended today’s official opening.
The centre is part of a nationwide network that provides state-of-the-art cancer services including imaging, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiotherapy and high energy proton beam therapy.
The Newport centre was recently approved by the Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee (WHSSC) to provide high energy proton beam therapy to adult patients referred from the NHS in Wales, the centre also treated the first patient in the UK with proton beam therapy in April last year.
Mike Moran, chief executive of Proton Partners International which operates the Rutherford Cancer Centres, said: “It is gratifying to see UK oncologists becoming increasingly aware of proton therapy and embracing the treatment. Our collaborative partnership with the NHS in Wales means that adult patients have an option to be treated closer to home.”
“I am delighted by the support we have received from the Health Minister, the Welsh Government, the Wales Life Sciences Investment Fund and the NHS in Wales which has meant that Wales has been the pioneer in proton beam therapy in the UK. Patient demand is increasing and it is encouraging that the UK is beginning to catch up with Europe in the provision of this therapy.”
Health
Phone calls to reduce GP visits for 42% of patients this winter
NEW research from the Royal Voluntary Service has shown that a simple phone call could significantly impact well-being, reducing GP visits by 42% among patients who receive regular telephone support.
The charity urges those feeling isolated this winter, particularly the elderly, to use telephone support services as a way to improve health and free up GP appointments, potentially reducing waiting times. It is estimated that if people experiencing loneliness in later life reduced their GP visits by just one appointment a year, this could free up 588,000 appointments annually.
As winter approaches, the Royal Voluntary Service reports that isolation can sharply increase, especially for adults over 75, with nearly half (47%) of people in this age group feeling lonelier in the colder months. Among those who live alone, one in six say they feel forgotten during winter, and 20% report having no one to turn to for emotional support.
In addition to loneliness, older generations face several winter worries, including increased heating costs, cited by 55% of respondents, and reduced ability to go out, which 29% said they dreaded as winter sets in.
To address these challenges, Royal Voluntary Service has launched the Stay Safe, Warm and Well campaign in partnership with Yakult. The campaign provides a guide for practical and emotional winter preparation, encouraging sign-ups for telephone support services and offering access to the Virtual Village Hall online community for events and activities. Practical advice on money-saving and energy-saving tips is also available through the guide.
Royal Voluntary Service Ambassador Elaine Paige, who has herself made support calls for the charity, described the positive impact these calls can have. “A warm, friendly phone call can transform someone’s day. Some conversations leave you smiling long after the call ends—something we could all use, especially in winter. For those facing the season alone, there are amazing people ready to remind you that you’re not alone,” she said.
The charity’s support services match volunteers with individuals across the UK for friendly chats, reducing isolation and boosting mental health. Catherine Johnstone CBE, Chief Executive of Royal Voluntary Service, said: “The feedback that conversations with volunteers are helping people to visit their GP less is testament to the value of connection.”
Yakult Marketing Manager Reshma Patel added: “Our research with Royal Voluntary Service shows that one in four adults over 75 feel they’d benefit from practical and emotional support over winter. We are committed to helping people access the Stay Safe, Warm and Well guide to support their overall well-being.”
Health
Over 1500 patients in Wales blocked from leaving hospital
THE First Minister Eluned Morgan has been pressured on her government’s failure to clear hospital beds in Wales, leading to delays for people seeking urgent medical care.
According to a report from BBC Wales, there are currently 1,600 patients across Wales waiting to be discharged from hospital compared to England where there are currently 12,000.
However, when comparing population sizes, it’s revealed that Wales is performing worse than its closest neighbour, with 0.05% of the population of Wales stuck in hospital beds compared to 0.02% in England.
The Welsh Labour government have been criticised for their failure to clear out backlogs in the system,
The Liberal Democrats have now called on the Welsh Government to provide urgent social care funding to local authorities to help alleviate pressures on the NHS in Wales.
Speaking in the Siambr on Tuesday, The Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Jane Dodds MS described how over twenty years of Welsh Labour government in Wales had let to a “desperate situation in our NHS, with services nearing breaking point.
Welsh Labours refusal to change their approach and fix a system clogged up by mismanagement is directly responsible for the current situation faced by thousands of patients.
Delays in discharging patients from hospitals are placing huge pressures on both staff and those awaiting care, but there is a way out of this mess and the answer lies in social care.
I have been told by numerous professionals working in healthcare that the first step towards fixing our NHS is made by providing local authorities with the funding to fix social care services within their respected areas.
By dedicating adequate investment into our social care services, we can make life easier for patients discharged from hospital while also lifting the strain on health services throughout Wales.”
Education
Concern over ‘highest-ever’ school bullying rates
RATES of bullying in Welsh schools have reached record levels, with more than one in three children and young people reporting being bullied, the Senedd heard.
Gareth Davies raised concerns about a 6% increase in bullying between 2021 and 2023, according to a survey of more than 130,000 pupils in 200 secondary schools.
The Conservatives’ shadow mental health minister told the Senedd: “These results are higher than ever previously reported in the survey, which is deeply troubling.”
He said the latest survey showed regression on “just about every metric of pupil wellbeing”, including growing social isolation and a rise in behavioural issues.
Mr Davies, who worked in the NHS in north Wales for more than a decade, pointed to a 2021 legal duty to have regard to the mental health of children and young people.
He said: “The mental health of pupils has declined and reports of bullying in schools have only increased, so the Welsh Government have failed in that duty, unfortunately.”
Plaid Cymru’s Cefin Campbell called for an update to 2019 anti-bullying guidance for school governing bodies following a commitment from the Welsh Government eight months ago.
The shadow education secretary focused on the impact of poverty, warning the high cost of school uniforms can cause stress and lead to bullying.
Mr Campbell, a former lecturer, expressed concerns about penalties, such as detention, for pupils over non-compliance with uniform policies.
Raising a report on “horrific” experiences of racism in Welsh schools, he said one pupil was told a classmate did not want to sit next to them due to the colour of their skin.
“That’s entirely unacceptable in our schools,” said Mr Campbell.
Labour’s Carolyn Thomas warned children’s mental health is at an all-time low, pointing to smartphones and social media as major contributing factors.
She said: “They can be used to bully, manipulate and control, sending young people into an isolated world of despair, not thinking they can get out of it or go to somebody for help.”
The North Wales politician highlighted a petition calling for a ban on phones in schools.
Rhys ab Owen, an independent who represents South Wales Central, stressed that bullying can impact people for decades to come after school.
“But it’s an issue that doesn’t affect learners equally,” he said. “In Cardiff, around a third of learners come from ethnically diverse backgrounds.
“And I was staggered to read a survey from 2020, which said that 61.5% of learners had expressed stereotypes over skin colour, religion and nationality.”
In a statement on November 12 to mark anti-bullying week, Lynne Neagle accepted that bullying continues to be an issue in Welsh schools.
Pledging to prioritise the problem, Wales’ education secretary said new statutory anti-bullying guidance will be published for consultation after Christmas.
Ms Neagle pointed to concerning trends, including 42% of girls scoring high or very high in a questionnaire on psychological problems compared with 27% of boys.
She told the Senedd: “I wouldn’t want to be a teenager growing up today.”
Ms Neagle stated the Welsh Government provided more than £800,000 this year for one of the biggest surveys of children and young people in the UK.
She said: “The link between bullying and mental health is well known. At its most extreme, young people have taken their own lives as a result of being bullied. This is a tragedy for the young life lost, for their family and friends and for whole communities.”
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