Health
Same Day Urgent Care at Cardigan Integrated Care Centre
CARDIGAN’S Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) and Same Day Urgent Care service (SDUC) will once again open for walk-in appointments this weekend (22/23 January 2022) after providing care and treatment for nearly 30 patients who would otherwise have gone to A&E or their GP.
As part of a new trial to help relieve pressures on our hospital A&E departments, the nurse-led services – which are based in Cardigan Integrated Care Centre – opened for weekend walk-ins without prior appointment between 15 and 16 January, with our staff seeing and treating a number of patients over the two days.
The services are led by Advanced Nurse Practitioners who can assess, diagnose and treat walk-in patients who are then able to return home the same day, with a plan of care involving referrals to other services if necessary.
Our hospitals are currently dealing with unprecedented demand, which is leading to significant delays in care provision and long waits in A&E. If you have a condition which could be seen and treated at Cardigan’s Integrated Care Centre, we would strongly encourage you to attend as you can be seen more quickly, as well as helping to relieve pressure on the hospital system.
The type of conditions our Advanced Nurse Practitioners can see and treat include:
- Chest Infections
- Wound Infections
- Urinary Tract Infections
- Tonsillitis / sore throat
- Ear Infections
- Minor Chest/Hip/Pelvic/Back injuries – Patient must be able to mobilise
- Minor Head Injury
- Non-cardiac chest pain
- Skin complaints including rashes, infections, and sunburn
- Sprains, strains & soft tissue injuries
- Hay fever, Mild allergic reactions
- Minor injuries – cuts, wounds
- Minor eye injuries, complaints and irritations requiring irrigation, and Chemical eye injury
- Emergency contraception
- Suspected fractures and injuries to knee, lower leg, ankle, and feet
- Suspected fractures and injuries to arms
- Animal, insect, or human bites
- Minor burns & scalds
- Removal of foreign bodies from eyes, ears, nose & skin
In patient feedback given to our nurses over the weekend of 15 and 16 January, all patients agreed or strongly agreed that staff had explained the service; that they were satisfied with their treatment plan, and that they had the opportunity to raise questions or concerns.
Patients also reported feeling more confident about managing their symptoms and being satisfied with the service to the point of recommending it to others.
Sian Lewis, Clinical Lead Nurse for Ceredigion Community, said: “Our Advanced Nurses were really pleased to be able to see and treat so many patients last weekend – particularly given that many of them would have otherwise faced long waits in A&E for the type of conditions that our teams here are well equipped to deal with.
“Please give us a call, or come down to the Integrated Care Centre in Cardigan if you need care and you think we can help – you don’t need an appointment, we can provide a quick service and you can be on your way home on the same day with a care plan if you need it.”
Cardigan Integrated Care Centre is located at Rhodfa’r Felin, Cardigan SA43 1JX. If you would like to speak with a triage nurse at the centre first to discuss your condition, please call 01239 803 075.
If you have a more urgent care need or in a medical emergency, please dial 999.
Health
Pembrokeshire residents suffer severe health decline ‘due to landfill gases’
A PEMBROKESHIRE couple, Mr Richard and Revd Patricia Rogers of Crud yr Awel, are experiencing severe health issues attributed to emissions from the Withyhedge Landfill, resulting in drastic lifestyle changes and severe symptoms.
Revd Rogers, who has managed asthma since childhood, reported a significant deterioration in her condition following exposure to landfill gases. Despite having controlled her asthma with minimal medication for years, she now requires intensive treatment including increased doses of Symbicort and Salbutamol Sulfate inhalers, alongside courses of steroids and antibiotics. Her symptoms have escalated to include extreme breathlessness, a hacking cough, frequent nosebleeds, continual headaches, and vertigo, culminating in a severe impact on her ability to perform daily tasks and care for her disabled daughter.
The couple’s health is closely monitored through their doctor’s surgery, and they attend the asthma clinic regularly. However, feeling powerless to directly change the situation, they have taken a stand by cancelling their council tax payments, a decision they plan to maintain until the landfill issue is resolved.
Revd Rogers has also prepared a letter to the Coroner, outlining the severity of her health issues as potentially life-threatening due to the landfill’s impact. This dramatic step underlines the gravity of their situation and their desperation for a resolution.
The Rogers’ story is not just a personal tragedy but a stark example of the broader environmental and health challenges faced by the community surrounding the Withyhedge Landfill.
They are calling for punitive measures against those responsible, including compensation for the financial impacts of their ordeal.
Their story has surfaced on the same day we reported that Natural Resources Wales is taking further enforcement action against the firm running the site.
NRW has issued site operators Resources Management UK Ltd (RML) with a further Regulation 36 Enforcement Notice which requires the operator to deliver a series of actions by specified deadlines to address ongoing smells from the landfill.
You can read more about the Enforcement Notice on the NRW website.
Outgoing Council Leader, Cllr David Simpson, said in a statement this week: “The smell from Withyhedge is having a major impact on residents and visitors. This situation has gone on too long and it is unacceptable.
“We now need to see RML act on the demands of the Notice and within the deadlines.
“The Council fully backs NRW’s stance that nothing is off the table in terms of further enforcement, including suspending the site’s environmental permit if appropriate, and we remain committed to working with NRW to ensure a long term solution to these issues.”
Health
Paul Davies responds to St David’s Surgery news
LOCAL Senedd Member Paul Davies has reacted to the news that St David’s surgery in North Pembrokeshire has decided to resign its General Medical Services Contract. It’s understood that for registered patients, care will continue to be provided until the end of October 2024 and patients are being advised to remain registered with the Practice while longer-term plans are developed. Patients will be invited to share their views as to how these services can continue to be delivered after the end of October.
Mr Davies said, “This is a very worrying announcement and patients in the local area will be understandably anxious about what this means for the future.”
“It’s vital that GP services can continue to be delivered in the area in the future and so Hywel Dda University Health Board must be open with patients of the Practice about their plans and address the community’s concerns. Every effort must be made to ensure that patients are able to access services in the long term.”
“I will of course, be raising this with the Welsh Government and urging the Health Minister to do everything in her power to support the Health Board and help ensure patients can access these vital services.”
Health
Doctors to enter pay negotiations with the Welsh Government
BMA CYMRU Wales has suspended forthcoming industrial action for Consultants and SAS doctors following a constructive meeting with the Welsh government to resolve its pay disputes.
As a result of sustained pressure, including three rounds of industrial action by junior doctors in Wales, the Welsh Government has made a significant proposal to form the basis of talks to end the pay disputes with all secondary care doctors including Consultants, SAS and Junior doctors.
Since the meeting last week, the committees representing doctors from all three branches of practice have voted to enter pay negotiations based on this proposal.
The planned 48-hour strike by Consultants and SAS doctors due to take place from 16 April will now be suspended.
Junior doctors have paused plans to announce more strike dates whilst they enter negotiations with the Welsh Government.
The Welsh junior doctors committee, Welsh SAS committee and Welsh consultants committee will now each engage in pay negotiations, with the aim of reaching deals which can be taken separately to their respective members.
Dr Oba Babs Osibodu and Dr Peter Fahey co-chairs of the BMA’s Welsh Junior doctors Committee said:
“This is a significant step forward. It is sad that we had to take industrial action to get here, but we are proud of members for demonstrating their resolve in pursuit of a fair deal for the profession.
“Whilst we are optimistic and hope to quickly resolve our dispute, we remain steadfast in achieving pay restoration. Until we reach a deal, nothing is off the table.
“We will continue to work hard to reach an offer that is credible to put to members who will ultimately have the final say.”
Dr Stephen Kelly, chair of BMA Cymru Wales’ Consultants committee said:
“The Welsh Government’s recent efforts to reach an end to the pay dispute are encouraging and so we have called off our planned strike for now whilst we allow time and space for negotiations to take place.
“We’re hopeful that we can reach a deal that sufficiently addresses years of erosion to our pay to help retain senior doctors in Wales but remain ready to strike if we’re not able to do so during negotiations.”
Dr Ali Nazir, chair of BMA Cymru Wales’ SAS doctor committee said:
“As a committee, we felt that this latest development goes someway to understanding the strength of feeling of our members. We will work hard to reach a settlement that sufficiently meets the expectation of our colleagues who have faced real terms pay cuts of up to a third since 2008/9.”
In August last year, the BMA’s committees representing secondary care doctors in Wales voted to enter into separate trade disputes with the Welsh Government after being offered another below inflation pay uplift of just 5% for the 23/24 financial year. SAS doctors on some contracts were offered as little as 1.5%. This was the lowest pay offer any government in the UK offered and less than the DDRB, the pay review body for doctors and dentists, recommended last year.
As part of their disputes, SAS doctors, consultants and junior doctors carried out successful ballots for industrial action. Since then, junior doctors have taken part in 10 days of industrial action since January this year.
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