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Health

No ‘expert advice’ that underpins Boris Johnson’s plan to ease all restrictions

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ECONOMY MINISTER Vaughan Gething has said the Welsh government hasn’t seen any “expert advice” that underpins Boris Johnson’s plan to ease all Covid restrictions in England

The Prime Minister made a surprise announcement that self-isolation rules and all remaining restrictions in England could end early this month.

Wales will gradually begin to relax some of its remaining coronavirus protections as cases continue to fall, the Welsh government has announced today.

Latest Covid infection survey figures published by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) are showing a fall in Covid infections in Wales.

Following the latest three week review into Covid restrictions in Wales, Ministers have agreed that from 18 February the legal requirement to show a Covid Pass to enter certain venues and events will be lifted.

From Monday 28 February, the requirement to wear face coverings will be removed from most indoor public places, apart from in retail, public transport and health and care settings.

If the public health conditions continue to improve, the legal requirement to wear face coverings in all remaining settings could be lifted by the end of March.

In a move widely seen as political rather than based on science, Boris Johnson announced that the legal requirement to self-isolate following positive test will be lifted “within weeks in England.”

Wales has not made any similar announcement around ending self-isolation.

Speaking to Sky News this morning, Vaughan Gething said: “We’ve taken advice from our scientific advisors and our chief medical officer.”

“They agree this careful and gradual approach to easing restrictions is now the right and proportionate thing to do.”

He said, “The Covid Pass domestically will go next Friday and face coverings will only remain in place for retail, public transport and health and care settings from the 28th of February.”

“We’ll look at the rest of our public protection measures in our next review in early March.”

Mr Gething said: “We’ve always got to be prepared to look at the evidence and then to make choices that accord with the evidence and the expert public health advice that we get.”

“We took a different path recently to England, for example, having some protective measures of the turn of the year.”

“And actually we had a lower level of Covid infections as a result, despite our very high case rates.”

He said: “We’ll be publishing a summary of our chief medical loss advice so people know that these are properly considered choices.”

“We’re not playing fast and loose with public health or indeed, the future of the economy.”

On Tuesday, Boris Johnson said he anticipated the legal requirement to self-isolate after a positive test will be lifted within weeks in England – a month earlier than initially planned.

The Prime Minister also announced that he will set out his roadmap for ‘living with Covid’, including both domestic and travel restrictions, when Parliament returns on February 21.

Mr Johnson told MPs: ‘It is my intention to return on the first day after the half-term recess to present our strategy for living with Covid.

“Provided the current encouraging trends in the data continue, it is my expectation that we will be able to end the last domestic restrictions – including the legal requirement to self-isolate if you test positive – a full month early.”

Mr Gething said he was “surprised at both the timing and the nature of what the Prime Minister said.

“Earlier points in the pandemic when significant changes have been made, there has been a conversation between health ministers across UK.

“A conversation between chief medical officers across the UK and there’s been advice from Sage the scientific expert committee

“None of those things happened before the Prime Minister made his surprise announcement immediately before Prime Minister’s questions.”

He said: “So if there is expert public health advice that underpins the announcement made by the Prime Minister, I haven’t seen it and the public hadn’t seen it.”

“Crucially, there hasn’t been a conversation between the chief medical officers across the UK to try to come to some form of consensus around why this could be the right thing to do.”

The latest figures from the ONS infection survey show that “England saw a slight rise in case rates, Covid infections are higher in England and in Wales as we speak.” Said Mr Gething.

“So it is quite surprising because isolating when you’re infectious protects other people.” He said.

Mr Gething said that when he was self-isolating after testing positive for Covid, “If I’d gone out and day three after my first test, I would probably have been infectious and I could have harmed other people by passing on the virus.”

“That’s why the self isolation measures are important.”

“It’s why we still think it’s the right thing to have them in law.”

“We’ll continue to take advice from the chief medical officer.

“I’ve got a good deal of optimism about the future. But as ever, if there is a significant change in the position, then we have to be prepared to change our position.”

Health

Phone calls to reduce GP visits for 42% of patients this winter

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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.”

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Health

Over 1500 patients in Wales blocked from leaving hospital

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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.”

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Education

Concern over ‘highest-ever’ school bullying rates

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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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