Health
Covid-19 vaccine approved for use next week in the United Kingdom
THE UK has become the first country in the world to approve the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine.
The paves the way for mass vaccination.
Britain’s medicines regulator, the MHRA, says the jab, which offers up to 95% protection against Covid-19 illness, is safe to be rolled out.
The first 800,000 doses will be available in the UK from next week, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said.
People should wait to be contacted by the NHS, he added.
Elderly people in care homes and care home staff are top of the priority list, followed by over-80s and health and care staff.
But because of the limited stocks and need to store at -70C, the very first vaccinations are likely to take place at hospitals so care home residents may not be immunised until later.

ID cards for those vaccinated
PEOPLE who have received a coronavirus vaccine in Wales will be given a card detailing the date and type of the vaccination.
The announcement came from health minister Vaughan Gething after Pfizer/BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine was approved by the independent Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
In a written statement Mr Gething said: “Those receiving a COVID-19 vaccination will be given a credit card-sized NHS Wales immunisation card which will have the vaccine name, date of immunisation and batch number of each of the doses given handwritten on them.
“These will act as a reminder for a second dose and for the type of vaccine, and it will also give information about how to report side effects.”
Responding to the announcement that a COVID-19 vaccine has been approved by the MHRA, Darren Hughes, Director of the Welsh NHS Confederation said: “It’s excellent news and a very significant milestone in the country’s battle to get COVID-19 under control. This vaccine will help us to save many lives over the coming months.
“However, we can’t be complacent now. We will need to continue with the measures we’ve all become familiar with such as social distancing, hand hygiene and wearing a mask where it is appropriate. We know people have made a significant effort this year and made incredible sacrifices as well, but there is light at the end of the tunnel.
“We are ready to deliver the largest vaccination programme the NHS in Wales has ever undertaken. This will be a huge logistical challenge, which has been thoroughly prepared for and tested.”
How will the vaccine be delivered in Wales?
DUE to the specific requirements of the vaccine it is not just a case of sending it all over Wales. The vaccine is going to be stored in two sites in Wales where health boards will have to pick it up from.
“We are aware of the challenges of storing, distributing and handling the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine,” said Mr Gething. “In particular its need for storage at very low temperatures of below minus -75ºC +/- 15ºC.
“Two specialist sites have been identified as appropriate delivery sites for the vaccine and local Health Boards will collect the vaccines directly from the two sites.”
The first group to get the vaccine will be older adults resident in a care home and care home workers though it not just a matter of distributing directly to care settings. “In practical terms at this stage that we cannot deliver this vaccine to care homes.” said Mr Gething.
The Welsh Government will be using the advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation to decide who will be the first people to be vaccinated.
The order advised is:
- Older adults’ resident in a care home and care home workers
- All those 80 years of age and over and health and social care workers
- All those 75 years of age and over
- All those 70 years of age and over
- All those 65 years of age and over
- High-risk adults under 65 years of age
- Moderate-risk adults under 65 years of age
- All those 60 years of age and over
- All those 55 years of age and over
- All those 50 years of age and over
- Rest of the population
Health
Ambulance delays and blocked beds putting Welsh patients at risk, watchdog warns
AMBULANCE handover delays, long waits in emergency departments and delays discharging patients from hospital are continuing to put people at risk across Wales, Audit Wales has warned.
The public spending watchdog said urgent and emergency care remains under “constant pressure” despite extra funding and new policies aimed at improving joined-up working between the NHS, ambulance service, councils and social care providers.
In an article published today, Monday (Jun 22), Audit Wales said its work since 2024 had examined how health boards and the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust manage demand for urgent and emergency care, as well as how health boards and local authorities support timely discharge from hospital.
It found that pressures across the system are increasing patient safety risks and driving up costs.
Key problems identified include ambulance handover delays, lengthy waits in emergency departments, underused new services despite extra funding, and delayed hospital discharges which continue to result in hundreds of thousands of lost bed days each year.
Audit Wales also said workforce problems across health and social care remain a major factor in delayed discharges.
The watchdog warned that data is still not being shared effectively across the system, making it harder for public bodies to make informed decisions and manage pressure.
The findings will add to growing concern about the state of urgent and emergency care in Wales, with patients, families and frontline staff repeatedly warning that delays in A&E and problems arranging social care packages are leaving people waiting too long for treatment or stuck in hospital after they are medically fit to leave.
Audit Wales said staff and leaders across the system had made clear that “something must change”.
It has set out six questions for the Welsh Government, NHS Wales and local authorities to consider as they look at how urgent and emergency care can be improved.
The Auditor General for Wales is the independent statutory external auditor of the devolved Welsh public sector and is responsible for auditing most public money spent in Wales.
The Herald has asked the Welsh Government and Hywel Dda University Health Board for comment.
Health
Wales most aware of alcohol addiction, but experts warn summer habits carry danger
MORE people in Wales recognise alcohol as addictive than anywhere else in Britain, new research has found, but health experts are warning that awareness alone may not be enough to prevent harmful drinking habits.
The findings come ahead of the busy summer period, when pubs, beer gardens, festivals, barbecues and outdoor events often lead to increased alcohol consumption.
According to YouGov data, 86% of people in Wales describe alcohol as addictive — the highest figure recorded across Britain and above the national average of 78%.
Only 14% of Welsh respondents said alcohol was either “not very addictive” or “not addictive at all”.
By comparison, London recorded the lowest level of awareness, with 69% of respondents recognising alcohol as addictive.
Health professionals say the results show that while many people understand the risks, regular drinking can still become habitual, particularly during periods of increased socialising.
Official figures suggest adults consume an average of 10.7 litres of pure alcohol per person each year, equivalent to around 21 UK units per week. That is around nine pints of beer or seven large glasses of wine, and is significantly above the recommended maximum of 14 units a week.
Nearly one in five adults are also said to drink at hazardous levels or above, with men more than twice as likely as women to fall into that category.
Dr Karen Faulkner, Associate Medical Director at Panthera Clinic, said alcohol occupied a “unique place” in British culture because it was both legal and socially encouraged.
She said: “What’s particularly interesting is that most people understand alcohol can be addictive, yet many still underestimate how easily regular drinking can become habitual. Dependence often develops gradually and doesn’t always fit the stereotypes people associate with addiction.
“During the summer months, drinking can become even more normalised through holidays, beer gardens, barbecues, festivals and sporting events.
“The challenge isn’t necessarily a lack of awareness about alcohol’s risks. It’s recognising when a socially accepted habit has crossed the line into something that’s beginning to have a negative impact on your health, wellbeing or daily life.”
Dr Faulkner said people wanting to cut back should consider planning alcohol-free days, alternating alcoholic drinks with water or soft drinks, setting limits before social events, and keeping track of their weekly intake.
She also urged people to watch for signs that alcohol may be becoming more important than intended, including finding it difficult to relax, socialise or enjoy an event without drinking.
Panthera Clinic has launched a free online Alcohol Health Calculator to help people assess how their drinking habits may be affecting their health and wellbeing.
Dr Faulkner added that low and no-alcohol alternatives had become more widely available, making it easier for people to reduce their intake while still taking part in social occasions.
Health
Welsh Government refuses to halt Withybush and Bronglais service review
Health Minister tells Paul Davies MS that decisions remain a matter for Hywel Dda University Health Board
THE WELSH GOVERNMENT has declined to intervene in controversial plans affecting services at Withybush and Bronglais hospitals, prompting fresh criticism from local Senedd Member Paul Davies.
In a letter dated June 19, Health and Care Cabinet Secretary Mabon ap Gwynfor said responsibility for planning and delivering NHS services rests with local health boards and confirmed that Hywel Dda University Health Board should continue its consultation process on proposed service changes.
The response follows concerns raised by Mr Davies on behalf of constituents in Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion over the future configuration of clinical services, including stroke care.
While acknowledging strong public concern about access to healthcare in rural communities, the Minister stopped short of offering any commitment to block or reverse the Health Board’s proposals.
Instead, he stressed that any changes must be supported by robust evidence, maintain patient safety and demonstrate improved outcomes.
The Minister wrote: “Responsibility for planning and delivering health services rests with local health boards, including decisions about how services are organised.”
He added that proposals must improve outcomes for patients, maintain safe and equitable access to care and be supported by thorough impact assessments.
Paul Davies MS described the response as disappointing.
Posting the letter on social media, he said: “This letter tells me that the Welsh Government is not going to stand in the way of the Health Board’s plans.”
He added that he would raise the issue in the Senedd chamber next week and continue pressing ministers to intervene.
The exchange comes as Hywel Dda University Health Board continues a public consultation on proposed changes to stroke services across west Wales.
The consultation, which opened on May 28, is due to run until July 26.
In his response, the Minister stated that anyone suffering a stroke should receive treatment “as quickly as possible in the most appropriate setting” and said the current model of stroke care in Wales must evolve if national standards are to be achieved.
The comments are likely to fuel concern among campaigners opposed to the proposed changes, who fear services could become increasingly centralised and further away from rural communities in Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion.


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